Gillingham 1 Colchester United 0

Match 55/15/1260 - Monday, 29th December 2015 - League One

Gillingham (0) 1 Samuel 70
Colchester United (0) 0
Attendance: 7,109

Entrance: Season Ticket
Programme: £3
Mileage: 56/3,976

Match Report

As the stadium announcer was declaring Max Ehmer as the sponsors' man of the match, Stuart Nelson made the second of three point blank saves that won this hard fought encounter for Gillingham. Seconds before the final whistle, he made his third and there wasn't a person inside Priestfield Stadium that didn't realise that the goalkeeper was the true recipient of the sponsors' award.

Coming into the game on the back of outstanding performances at Millwall and Swindon, this was a scratchy performance. But make no mistake, when the prizes are handed out in May, to whoever they are awarded, it won't be the three-nils and four-nil games that have won the league or promotion, it will be games like this one that might, and perhaps should, have been lost.

Gillingham made one change from their last game, Ehmer coming in for Deji Oshilaja, but Bradley Dack caused some concerns during the warm up when he appeared to turn an ankle, so it was a relief when he emerged from the tunnel fit and ready to play just before 3 o'clock.

The first half was a truly forgettable affair for all but the travelling 345 supporters who had made the trip from Essex to urge on their bottom of the table side. By half-time, they had watched on as their team had amassed 11 shots on goal, four on target whereas the home side's tally amounted to a paltry four efforts, none of which had troubled Elliott Parrish in the Colchester goal.

Marvin Sordell had an early effort that whistled just over the bar and this set the tone for the first period, one in which Dominic Samuel and Rory Donnelly fed off the barest scraps upfront.

Gillingham's best, in fact only, chance of the first half came after ten minutes when a cross from Ryan Jackson found its way to the far post where Jake Hessenthaler just failed to convert.

Justin Edinburgh made two changes during the half-time break, Donnelly was replaced by Luke Norris and Josh Wright, who took a first half knock to the head, was replaced by Doug Loft. The changes had the desired effect and the home side showed a far greater urgency from the outset of the second period.

In the 52nd minute, Norris wasted a golden opportunity when he was sent clear down the left hand side but his powered shot only found the side netting.

Colchester, looking far from a side on a run of eight consecutive defeats, hit a post through a Chris Porter header and Ehmer had to be sharp to block an attempt from Tom Eastman.

Gillingham finally took the lead with 20 minutes remaining. After Dack had an effort partially cleared, Ryan Jackson's cross was met by John Egan, who directed a header across the face of goal from where Dominic Samuel shot home from close range.

Egan produced a thunderous shot from 40 yards plus that crashed against the crossbar as Gillingham had their best passage of play in the match.

As the game drifted towards its end, Colchester made a whole-hearted attempt to rescue something from their visit and in so doing brought Nelson to the fore. Firstly, with a minute remaining, he spread himself to repel a close range from Sordell following a George Moncur cross and as clock ticked to 93 minutes, Sordell was sent clear only to be denied by the Gillingham keeper's feet as he narrowed the angle.

The season is now past its half-way mark and if results had gone their way (they didn't) Gillingham could have been sitting at the top of the table going into the New Year. I don't think I'm alone in my surprise at their position at this stage; if they can continue to scratch results when a game doesn't quite go according to plan, who is to say that we cannot continue to be surprised?