Cadbury Heath v Gillingham Town – 31/08/13
Going to Cadbury Heath is always a tough test but this time it was made even harder on two counts. Firstly the Heathens were unbeaten so far this season, as were the Gills. Secondly, the Gills were forced to put out a depleted team, with Player/Manager Adrian Foster even unable to make the game due to work commitments.
Other absences were Ben Thomson (Suspension), Aaron Rodriguez and Gary Bowles (Family commitments). This meant that two of the Gills’ three regular strikers were absent and Pete Knox was drafted in to help out but even he was eventually absent due to a family emergency.
As a result Nick Compton dropped back into the centre of defence to pair Jack Vallis and Nick Thomson was asked to play up front alongside Lee Gale. Luckily Dan Cox returned to full fitness so he started in the centre of midfield.
When the game got going both teams were holding their own with both teams playing quality football and showing why they are both unbeaten this season. The Gills had keeper Jamie Beale to thank after 10 minutes when he blocked a close range effort with his legs and just after this he was called into action again when there was a goalmouth scramble with Gills players blocking several shots on goal.
The Heathens continued to dominate the opening stages and the Gills had to wait till the quarter hour mark to get their first good chance. Unfortunately, this was wasted when Danny Thompson, who was through on goal with just the keeper to beat, put a soft shot straight at Heathens’ keeper Damian Freeman.
The Gills were getting into the game more now and 5 minutes later another good chance went begging when Dan Cox set up Lee Gale just outside the 6 yard box, but again his shot was weak and went straight to Freeman who saved the shot easily. Then on 25 minutes the Gills created another good chance when Harry Baker burst into the area and he got some power into his shot, but again the ball went straight at Freeman who caught the ball easily.
The Gills dominance continued and just past the half hour mark Danny Thompson had another good chance to open the scoring but, yet again, his shot lacked any venom. A couple of minutes later an unmarked Nick Thomson received the ball just about on the penalty spot but he blasted his volley way over the bar.
The last chance of the half fell to the Heathens with 10 minutes left to play when striker Sasha Tong had a shot from a tight angle, but this effort was blocked by the legs of Jamie Beale.
So at half time the weakened Gills team were more than holding their own against tough opposition and with the score at 0-0 there was still all to play for.
The Gills got off to a dream start in the second half when, after only a minute had been played they scored the first goal. Joe Smeeton took a free kick on the left wing and it was met by Jack Vallis in the area who headed the ball past Freeman into the bottom left of the goal to make it 0-1.
The Gills looked in control now and they were unlucky not to score again just 2 minutes later when Danny Thompson took a shot from well outside the area which had Freeman beaten but struck the top of the bar. With 53 minutes played Jack Vallis came close again when he headed a corner towards goal but this time it was cleared off the line.
Then on 55 minutes disaster struck when Ryan Murray used his arm to control the ball just inside the area and the Referee awarded a penalty. Matt Huxley took the kick and blasted it past Jamie Beale to draw them level at 1-1. This goal breathed new life into the Heathens and it was them who now took control of the game and they scored again after 67 minutes when a fine cross from the left was headed into the net by an unmarked Matt Huxley to make it 2-1.
The Gills battled to get back on level terms and once again took control of the game with Jack Vallis being pushed on into a striker’s role for the last 10 minutes. This nearly proved to be a brilliant move when, with only 4 minutes left Jack headed a cross towards goal only to see Freeman brilliantly block the effort from point blank range. There was still time for Nick Thomson to cover himself in glory but again he wasted the chance when his shot from the edge of the area sailed over the bar.
So the game ended with a 2-1 defeat for the Gills but the team can hold their heads high and be proud of their performance as a makeshift team were unlucky not to get anything from the game.
Man of the Match was Jack Vallis.
Gills line-up: Beale, Murray, Smeeton (Baker J 79), Compton, Vallis, Cox, Baker H (Sansom 74), Clarke, Gale, Thomson N, Thompson.
