Charlton Athletic 3 Gillingham 0

Match 124/16/1431 - Monday, 17th April 2017 - League One

Charlton Athletic (2) 3 Pearce 20 Holmes 31 Mageness 54
Gillingham (0) 0
Attendance: 12,449

Entrance: £20 Senior
Programme: £3
Mileage: 82/8,475

Match Report

An Easter Monday afternoon that began with a large Gillingham following amounting to over 2,000 fans buoyed by Saturday's win against Bristol Rovers ended with abusive songs being sung at their own team and ugly confrontations with a player.

Gillingham won't go down, almost unbelievably there are four teams who, if they are not worse, are in a more parlous position than the Kent side. Famous last words, with that horrible afternoon at Wycombe in 2010 serving as a powerful reminder that the worst can happen and with Justin Edinburgh waiting to inflict revenge on his former employer.

Simply put, Gillingham cannot defend and that is the principle reason why they are in the position they are. In the opening 20 minutes of this game they were more than the equal of their south London hosts, but abject defending saw Jason Pearce score with a free header inside the six yard box following a corner from Ricky Holmes, the best player on the pitch.

Ten minutes later, with a free kick conceded on the edge of the box, Holmes' shot found its way through the wall and between the diving Tomas Holy and his right hand post leaving the Gills with an uphill task that was never going to be completed.

The ineffectual Bournemouth loan pair of Joe Quigley snd Harry Connick were replaced during the break but when, early in the second half, the Gillingham defence was cut to shreds leaving Josh Mageness to sweep the ball home from close range there was to be no comeback and the Gillingham support quickly turned against their team.

Nobody likes to hear abuse being heaped on their own team, but the supporters frustration is easily understood. This has been a dire season with the change in managership not supplying the usual new regime bounce. Too many players are just not good enough with others that might have the necessary quality not playing for this manager or the last.

In my humble opinion, whether Pennock retains the job or not, the coach next season should be handed a blank sheet of paper and told to start again. Josh Wright, who is undoubtedly the player of the season, is being sought by higher level clubs and, if we learn anything from the Bradley Dack scenario, it is that heads get turned. As for Dack, he can go and sulk somewhere else.

I've never been as close as I am now to not renewing my season ticket. Two games remain for my enthusiasm to be rekindled sufficiently to hand over my money.