Gillingham 2 Colchester United 2

Match 74/14/1183 - Saturday 21st March 2015 - League One

Gillingham (0) 2 Ehmer 82, Loft 90+5
Colchester United (2) 2 Moncur 62, Porter 87
Att. 5,319

Entrance: Season Ticket
Programme: £3
Mileage: 56/5,428

Match Report

It appears to me that pre-season has embarked at Gillingham Football Club. A very strange team selection could only be explained, and was subsequently explained by Justin Edinburgh, that there were players at the club that the new manager needed to see in League One action before making decisions on their futures. Stuart Nelson made way in goal for Glenn Morris and Luke Norris took his place as Cody McDonald's strike partner at the expense of John Marquis. The Southwark Times reported this week that should Neil Harris get the manager's job full-time at Millwall, then the on-loan striker might be subject to a contract offer from his parent club, after being told by previous incumbent, Ian Holloway, that he was no longer wanted. Whether this had any bearing on Marquis' omission only Edinburgh knows.

There is a train of thought among supporters, to which I concur, that the tinkering is best left alone until we have the points required to assure safety.

Life in general has its fair share of "if onlys" and football has at least one every game. Gillingham had two very big "if onlys" and if the first one had been turned into a positive, I'm pretty sure the game would have had a different outcome and we certainly would not have had to suffer an interminable first half.

McDonald was sent through on goal after just 22 seconds but this shot was smothered by the Colchester goalkeeper, Sam Walker and the chance was lost. This was the start of a good afternoon for Walker who went on to make several good saves and was probably the man of the match.

The first half settled into a stalemate, decidedly low both in terms of quality and entertainment and left Priestfield as flat as a pancake. The children's half-time shoot-out proving to be a lot more exciting.

Thankfully, the second half was a whole lot better. Gillingham's second "if only" moment came just prior to the hour when Jermaine McGlashen, on as a substitute for Aaron Morris, was clearly tripped in the box, only for referee Sheldrake to wave away the appeals. It was a stonewall penalty from my viewpoint, which was very good.

Three minutes later and Gillingham fell behind. An over-hit cross into the box, was redelivered from the left and the partial clearance fell at the feet of George Moncur who drove the ball into the net from around 12 yards.

Gillingham's efforts to get on level terms foundered on Walker's agility until, with eight minutes remaining, Doug Loft delivered a free kick towards the near post and with Colchester's defenders dozing, Max Ehmer glanced a header into the far corner.

Ehmer was subsequently named Gillingham's man of the match and that proved a poisoned chalice as he was caught napping when George Porter found himself in an acre of space to plant a easy header beyond Morris.

Five minutes of added time produced a climactic finish that could not have been envisaged during that tiresome first period. After four of those minutes, Matt Briggs saw a second yellow and a walk to the dressing room that was going to take an age, but one that the referee clearly indicated he was aware of. The time added on, to the time added on, saw Colchester pay for Briggs' deed. A cross into the box was only cleared to the edge and the waiting Loft drilled a shot into the net for his first Gillingham goal.

Newcastle's caretaker manager, John Carver, took exception last Saturday to a comment on Match of the Day about players already in their flip-flops for the summer break. Gillingham's first half performance suggested that the said footwear was also being donned at Priestfield. A little less tinkering and a couple of wins more on the board, then tinker at your leisure, Justin.