Gillingham Town 2 v 2 Larkhall Athletic 29/03/14
It was third against first in the Western League Premier Division in this match, with the Gills taking on the team hotly tipped to win this season’s title. Earlier in the season the Gills were comprehensively beaten 3-0 away to Larkhall who have dominated the League so far this season, only losing one league game.
Right from the off it was obvious why the Larks are favourites to win the league, as they confidently passed the ball around having the lion’s share of possession. Having said that though they couldn’t convert this possession into clear cut chances and, against the run of play, the first good chance fell to the Gills’ Steve Smith with just over 11 minutes played. Aaron Rodriguez Aaron chipped a ball over the Larks’ defence and Steve Smith ran past the defenders to latch onto the ball just on the edge of the six yard box but he didn’t connect properly with his header and the ball went straight into the arms of Larks’ keeper Chris Snoddy.
After this Larkhall again dominated the game whilst still seemingly unable to unlock the Gills’ defence. The Gills went close again just before the half hour mark when Danny Thompson put a ball into the area towards Steve Smith but it passed him and the Larks defence and went only about a foot the wrong side of the back post.
Yet again the Larks took a grip on the game and there was some desperate defending by the Gills’ players, including a clearance off the line by Ashley Clarke from a Tyler Sibbick shot from just outside the six yard box. Once again though the Gills nearly took a shock lead when a Jamie Beale free kick was hooked towards goal by Benjani Ben-Salem and the ball went about a yard wide of goal.
So at half time the score was 0-0 with Larkhall looking the better team in terms of possession but the chances at goal were about even.
The second half got off to an explosive start when after just 3 minutes Larkhall opened the scoring. Jake Gardner went on a run down the right wing and he drove a low cross into the area where Steve Bridges was on hand to toe poke the ball past Jamie Beale and give the Larks a 0-1 lead.
The goal forced the Gills to come out and attack and this they did, earning themselves an equaliser just past the hour mark. Following a corner the ball was lofted back into the area and Steve Smith headed the ball down to Benjani Ben-Salem whose flying volley went out of the reach of Snoddy but just inside the post to draw the two teams level at 1-1.
The Gills grew in confidence now and were getting into the game more and they had a good chance to double their lead when Steve Smith nipped in behind the defence but he couldn’t quite make contact with the ball. Then with 17 minutes left to play they were awarded a penalty when Benjani Ben-Salem was dragged to the floor inside a crowded area. The Larkhall players were furious with the decision and the protestations of Ross Lye earnt him a second yellow card and an early shower. Steve Smith held his nerve despite the lengthy delay and slotted the ball just inside the post to give the Gills a 2-1 lead.
The Gills sat back on their lead and once again they had to perform some heroics in defence to keep Larkhall at bay who, despite being down to ten men, were dominating the game again. The pressure told in the first minute of injury time though when the Larks scored an equalizer. A corner fell to the floor inside the crowded area and it was substitute striker Nat Auckland who was quickest to react and put the ball into the back of the net giving Jamie Beale no chance and making it 2-2.
The Larks nearly stole all three points in the 3rdminute of injury time but the Gills had Jamie Beale to thank for a great one handed save that kept the scores level till the final whistle.
This was a great workmanlike performance by the Gills who had to battle and work hard to earn a point against a very good Larkhall team and who came so close to actually taking all three points.
Man of the Match was Benjani Ben-Salem.
Gills line-up: Beale, Murray, N Thomson, Compton, Lynn (Harris 59), Hewlett, Thompson, (Agbo 59), Clarke, Smith, Ben Salem (Sansom 89), Rodriguez.
Terry Lucas
