The Gills’ run of good form continued with a well earned victory over Bradford Town
The Gills’ first game of the New Year was the only Premier Division game not to be beaten by the weather and for once Manager Kevan Davis had the whole of his squad available, including Ryan Gay who has been out for a few weeks through injury.
It was the Gills who started the better of the two teams, passing the ball around with a confidence that belied their league position, and this led to them creating numerous chances in the opening stages. However, they certainly didn’t have their shooting boots on and home keeper Jamie Bartlett wasn’t really tested by an early effort from Will Pike.
Although looking the better team the Gills weren’t getting it all their own way as Bradford were looking dangerous on the break with ex Gill player Matt Chant and Twaine Plummer particularly combining well. In fact the Gills had a scare on the quarter hour mark when a scuffed kick by keeper Jordan Tewkesbury when well outside his area fell to Plummer on the half way line. Plummer took an early shot from distance and with Tewkesbury left scurrying back towards his goal, the ball went well wide of the empty goal.
The Gills continued to dominate the game and were playing some of their best football this season, but despite their best efforts and chances for Steve Smith and Will Agbo, were unable to convert this possession into goals. So at half time the score was 0-0 and with the deteriorating playing surface and tiring legs it looked likely that was how the score was going to stay.
However, 6 minutes after the restart Bradford took a 1-0 lead when a corner was headed away from goal, but only as far as Mark Wall on the edge of the area and his volleyed shot flew past Tewkesbury into the back of the net.
After dominating so much of the first half the Gillingham players must have been disappointed by the goal, but rather than let their heads drop they fought back and scored an equaliser just 3 minutes later. An inch perfect long pass by Steve Smith found Kieran Davis on the edge of the area and he took an optimistic shot which deflected off a defender and flew into the bottom corner of the goal.
The Gills were back in the ascendency now and scored their second just 4 minutes later when Will Agbo beat a couple of players to set up Benjani Ben Salem on the edge of the area. Benjani ran along the edge of the box leaving a couple of defenders in his wake and took a shot which was just out of the reach of Bartlett but just inside the post to give the Gills a 1-2 lead.
With 67 minutes played there was a lengthy delay in the game as a dangerous tackle on Tewkesbury left him requiring treatment to a leg injury which ultimately saw the keeper have to be carried off the field and, with no sub keeper on the bench, defender Nick Thomson donned the gloves.
The Gills continued to play well, although Bradford were fighting hard to get the equaliser, with the defence looking particularly solid and the frustration of the Bradford players boiled over in the 3rdminute of injury time when Josh Brigham was shown a second yellow card for dissent.
Bradford had to play a further 8 minutes of additional time with ten men and, although the Gills continued to control the game and went close to adding to their tally a couple of times, Bradford never gave up and gave the visiting fans a couple of scary moments near the end.
So the game ended with a creditable 1-2 victory and a valuable three points for the Gills who have now only lost one of their last eight games and the win today sees them rise to six from bottom.
Man of the Match was Nick Compton.
The Gills don’t have a fixture next Saturday, so the next game is an away trip to Brislington on Saturday 17th January.
Gills’ line up: Tewkesbury (Cox 67), Thomson, Noonan, Compton, Pike, Hewlett, Agbo (Paterson 83), Clarke, Smith (Gay 87), Ben Salem, Davis
Terry Lucas
