Gillingham (1) 1 Burton 22
Rotherham United (0) 0
Att. 6,796
Entrance: Season Ticket
Programme: £3.00
Mileage: 45/5,262
Match Report
Be aware, It Ain't Over Till The Fat Lady Sings, but take heart, she's clearing her throat. However, the Fat Man is Singing and it’s the same old song. Gillingham took one massive step towards promotion on Easter Monday and, at the same time, damaged Steve Evans' hopes of taking his Rotherham side into the automatic positions.Steve Evans isn't just loathed by Gillingham supporters, he has rubbed up the wrong way opposition fans up and down the country and you have to wonder whether the baggage he brings with him is worth it for any club that employs him. The man Is a sore loser, there is always an excuse why Rotherham lose, referees, misfortune, but never that the other side were better than them. On this occasion he felt that his side deserved a point and their second half performance was one of total dominance, the man is seriously deluded. And it seems some Rotherham supporters are tiring of his vitriol with plenty of them questioning his position on message boards.
Back in December, on our first visit to Rotherham's New York Stadium, Evans had a point, our win there was a serious mugging, but this was an equally one-sided affair in Gillingham's favour. If total dominance of the second half amounts to a grandstand finish in the last ten minutes when Rotherham poured forward in search of an equaliser, but managed on just one occasion to force Stuart Nelson into a meaningful, albeit very good, save turning away a Michael O'Connor volley that had seemed destined for the top corner, then he is entitled to his opinion.
In the absence of any ticket offers, there was a smaller crowd, 6,796, than has been the case recently, but were nevertheless loud and the sight of Evans on the touchline would have been enough to raise the emotions, but the stadium announcer joking that there was a pizza delivery for the Rotherham manager (amusing, but at the same time, really quite naughty) and Martin Allen's walk to the centre of the pitch prior to the team's arrival ratcheted up the atmosphere several notches.
As expected, Allen brought back a couple of the faces that had been missing on Saturday at Fleetwood. Ex-Miller, Deon Burton was restored to the attack and Steven Gregory replaced Callum Davies in centre midfield. Both made significant impressions on the game.
Both sides responded to the atmosphere and the early exchanges were even with a half-chance coming to both sides. Daniel Nardiello was an early threat and Adam Barrett saw a shot on the turn deflected over the bar.
Gillingham's well rehearsed long throw routine brought a 22nd minute goal. Chris Whelpdale threw to the near post and Danny Kedwell's header was poked home from close range by Burton, to once more torment is ex-employers.
On 34 minutes, Whelpdale was seriously unlucky to see a 25 yard shot crash against the bar with Scott Shearer a helpless spectator as the home side were in complete control of the game.
The early part of the second period was largely dominated by the home side with Kedwell striking a fierce shot that was touched onto the bar by Shearer after 70 minutes and five minutes later the pair were in action again with, once again, the keeper proving the winner as Kedwell's header was turned aside.
The game then entered the period of Evans' dominance, Gillingham were forced back but defended resiliently allowing the Yorkshire side virtually nothing until O'Connor's late strike.
The final whistle sounded on three very satisfying points and there was further cheer when news came of results elsewhere that had gone in Gillingham's favour opening up an eight point lead at the top of the table. Very soon, the Fat Lady will sing, perhaps she can duet with the Fat Man, something along the lines of The Verve's Bitter Sweet Symphony?
No comments:
Post a Comment