GILLINGHAM TOWN 2 WILLAND ROVERS 1
The Gills made just one change to the side that beat Slimbridge the previous Saturday as defender Gary Bowles was unavailable, so Nick Compton reverted to the central defence while Nick Thomson slotted into the midfield.
Willand Rovers launched the first attack but Jack Vallis was on hand to clear for a throw-in. After 5 minutes the Gills were awarded a free kick which was taken by Joe Smeeton but his ball into the box was cleared. Two minutes later a Ryan Murray cross was headed towards goal by Nick Thomson but was easily gathered by Willand keeper Matt Cafer.
It was even-steven for the early part of the match and after 15 minutes a Ben Thomson cross from the left eluded everyone, but after 17 minutes it was the visitors who took the lead when a fine Dan Western cross wide on the right flew over Jamie Beale’s head in the Gills goal and lurking at the far post unmarked for Willand was Jules Emati-Emati who headed the ball into the net for a 1-0 lead.
Willand continued to press after their goal and Jamie Beale had to be alert to race from his goal to gather the ball after Dan Western put Ian Patchett through and after 22 minutes they were through again but the ball was blocked and went out for a corner.
Immediately after this Willand’s James Clampin received a yellow card for a foul on Ben Thomson. Joe Smeeton took the free-kick and Jack Vallis rose to head the ball but it was saved by Matt Cafer.
A Ben Thomson left wing cross was cleared after a goalmouth scramble and on 30 minutes Lee Gale went close but his effort was blocked by the keeper and was finally cleared after another scramble in the box.
The Gills were now having most of the play and continued to press forward with Lee Gale in the 34th minute running down on the left to the bye-line and pulling a tempting cross back across the goalmouth but, again, no one was able to get on to the end of it. Then a Ben Thomson shot was blocked for a corner and a long range Jamie Beale free-kick Landed in the hands of the opposing keeper.
At half time, even though The Gills were not on the scoresheet they came back well against a strong, footballing side in Willand.
The second half began just as it did against Slimbridge with the Gills pulling level in the very first minute. Aaron Rodriguez took a free kick on the left hand side of the area and there to meet it with a powerful header was Jack Vallis and the ball flew into the Willand net, 1-1.
In the 56th minute their defender Russell Jee was booked for foul and abusive language to the assistant referee after being penalised for handball and was very lucky to stay on the pitch.
In the next minute a Ben Thomson shot was deflected wide for a corner and on 58 minutes Ben Thomson was pulled up for a foul and was then booked for showing dissent.
The Gills were now getting on top and also the game was getting rather heated. Ben Thomson headed wide from an Aaron Rodriguez corner and a further long range Jamie Beale free kick was cleared for another corner. From the corner the ball was cleared to the edge of the box where Harry Baker unleashed a goalbound shot which was saved well low down by Matt Cafer.
Willand then had a shot which went wide of the Gills’ goal, and they were now coming back into the game. On 64 minutes they had a corner which the Gills cleared but for another corner on the opposite side.
In the 72nd minute Danny Thompson replaced Aaron Rodriguez and three minutes later the Gills broke the stalemate when Ben Thomson was sent sprawling in the box and the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. It was certainly a pressure penalty for Lee Gale but he duly and coolly despatched the ball low into the back of the net to give The Gills a 2-1 lead.
Things got harder for the Gills in the 77th minute when Ben Thomson was sent off after a foul brought him a second bookable offence and after a melee Willand’s Alex Grey also picked up a yellow card.
Willand now took the game to the Gills with their one man advantage. There were some heavy challenges going in on both sides but the Gills seemed to the rough justice from the referee and in the last four minutes, first Nick Thomson was mistakenly booked for a foul even though he was an innocent bystander on 86 minutes, and in the 90th minute, actually in added time, Ashley Clarke was booked followed by Ryan Murray.
There was still time for Jamie Beale to collect a high ball under pressure.
The referee finally blew for time and the Gills had gained three hard-earned points against a good passing and well-organised Willand side with a close 2-1 success.
The Gills “Man of the Match” was Lee Gale.
Gills line-up: Beale, Murray, Smeeton, Vallis, Compton, N.Thomson, H.Baker. Clarke, Gale, B.Thomson, Rodriguez (Thompson 72 mins).
Unused subs: Sansom, J.Baker, Foster, Cox.
Terry Lucas