Saturday 13 March - League Division One - Report by GillsConnect Man on the Terrace

One point is obviously better than none but in truth bottom club Stockport were marginally the better side and had the better of goalmouth action. It took a great save by Alan Julian (pictured above) to deny the Hatters a win. Gills shut up shop long before the end and hoped that their average display would suffice for a valuable point.

The main concern for any League One side travelling to Stockport is the sorry state of the Edgeley Park pitch, which they share with rugby union side Sale Sharks. It is recognized as the worst in the League and was heavy sanded from goal to goal obviously making it difficult for attractive football to be played.

Mark Stimson said before today’s game, “The Huddersfield match was a good performance, a great win, but it’s gone now and we’ve got to try and build on it”.

However best laid plans and all that as it was an extremely sloppy start by the Gills as first Curtis Weston (pictured right) lost the ball and Stuart Lewis did likewise doing their defensive duties and Hatter’s Richie Partridge was quick to take advantage and shot for goal.

Minutes later Stockport full back Johnny Mullins came bursting through a static Gils defence and forced a rushed clearance from Darren Dennehy.

These were worrying times for the Gills as these opening minutes were showing that Stockport were lively and certainly carried a threat.

Danny Jackman contributed to this early malaise and in a comedy of errors missed a throw-in allowing another Hatters attack to which Alan Julian had to come out quickly. He missed the ball completely and had to turn back to save at the second attempt. This was shambolic defending by a team trying to get their first away win of the season.

Another quick Stockport attack followed but Danny Jackman atoned by a last ditch tackle and hacking the ball away over the stand.

Without doubt these first ten to fifteen minutes were the “away” Gills at their best, that we have seen most of the season, and any attractive purposeful football was being played by the home team.

Richie Partridge (left) quickly got the measure of Stuart Lewis in the opening exchanges and the left-winger was crossing the ball at will. From one cross George Donnelly picked up the ball, turned and shot but Darren Dennehy hacked out for a corner.

From the corner Alan Julian was forced giving away another corner that was quickly followed by another until Andy Barcham finally cleared the ball out of the Gills area.

Twenty minutes gone and a rare Gills breakaway from yet another Stockport corner let Rene Howe control the ball and pass to Simeon Jackson and he fired his first attempt on goal. The Gills suddenly sprang into life as if they realized that the game had started as Andy Barcham ran through passing to Rene Howe who missed with a close range header and Danny Jackman, following up, put the ball just wide.

Not that the Hatters were that quiet as George Donnelly shrugged off a Stuart Lewis challenge and put another good cross into the Gills area that was eventually cleared by John Nutter.

Sweeping rain was beginning to make things uncomfortable especially as it was unfortunately directed into the 351 Gills fans sitting in an uncovered stand area who were unimpressed by Gills action to date.

However they did start to manage some effort to get into the game but in truth there were too many scrappy midfield plays by both sides, not helped by the falling rain onto heavy sanded areas, until Simeon Jackson put a shot over the bar receiving the ball following a decent passing move between Rene Howe and Andy Barcham.

Rene Howe (picturede right) as the Gills target man, was playing and leading the line well bringing both Andy Barcham and Simeon Jackson into action although real good goal attempts were few and far between.

There were the disturbing Gills errors in defence that would surely have been taken advantage off by a team higher in the Division. Curtis Weston, never a real defender, attempted a cross-field pass that was misdirected and cannoned off David Perkins into the path of George Donnelly. Alan Julian was thankfully decisive and had time to come out and save at the forward’s feet.

Minutes later another innocuous cross caused confusion in the Gills defence as Alan Julian completely missed the ball that thankfully went for a goal kick.

Gills were spasmodically in the attacking game and Andy Barcham (left) was brought down in box. No penalty was probably the correct referee decision but the ball went loose only Adam Miller to shoot and forced a corner from which Rene Howe missed with his header.

Gills urged on by their bench tried without success to force a goal before the break when first a great run by Andy Barcham, a shot by Simeon Jackson and a Stuart Lewis effort forced corners in quick succession.

In first half injury time Andy Barcham again ran at the Hatters defence and managed to turn the ball into Adam Miller’s path. The midfielder’s shot was deflected into side netting that briefly had the Gills fans on their feet as it looked like a goal from where they were sitting.

The second period started like the first with Stockport pressing for the goal and Gills on the back foot. Stuart Lewis, who was not having the best of games, missed his tackle and George Donnelly reached the cross into the box bringing the best out of Alan Julian. From the hurried Gills clearance it came straight back with another dangerous cross that just eluded Richie Partridge.

Again Stockport hammered at the door in search of a goal and as the ball was chipped into the Gills area another shaky defence moment as a chance from David Perkins forced another save from Julian.

Rene Howe was still trying though up front for the Gills and put the ball into Simeon Jackson’s path who did a half turn outside the Hatter’s box and his left foot shot went just wide of the post with Owain Fon Williams well beaten.

Minutes later Simeon (right) was again in the thick of things when he ran onto a clever through ball from Adam Miller and accelerated and shot. Williams managed the save with his knees and Jackson pulled up sharply with what looked like an injury. Simeon appeared to “run it off” but the Gills bench were looking anxious at their top scorer.

Taking no chances Simeon was replaced by Dennis Oli although to some Gills fans this was surprising as Chris Dickson would have been a “like for like” replacement.

There was 20 minutes to go in the game and it was definitely anybody’s match and three points for the taking but it was Stockport that looked to be more interested as they again came at the Gills.

First the impressive George Donnelly (left) shot on the turn from edge of the area but over Alan Julian’s bar. Then, the definitive moment of the game, when David Perkins had a great chance and thought he had scored but his effort was brilliantly saved by Julian.

Paul Turnbull followed up the fluffed clearance and was again denied by Alan Julian who in those few moments earned the Gills a point.

It has to be said that when the Gills had set pieces they were wasted and fans must query what do the Gills players practice on the training ground? Corners, mostly taken by Danny Jackman, are wasted by poor delivery. Danny Jackman, again drove a typical free kick from the edge of the area, straight into the defensive wall.  Surely this is something that should be improved?

It looked for the entire World that Gills did not have any real desire to win this game, half way through the second half, and were settling for the draw. Disappointing, as the three points and a first away win in eighteen was there for the taking if they had showed more ambition.

The point gained, although welcomed, might not be enough at the end of the season.

Hatters: Owain Fon Williams, Johnny Mullins, Matt Sadler, Danny Swailes, Paul Huntington, Richie Partridge (Danny Rowe 74 minutes), Gerg Tansey, Paul Turnbull, David Perkins, Jabo Ibehre and George Donnelly.

Gills: Alan Julian, Stuart Lewis, Garry Richards, Darren Dennehy, John Nutter, Adam Miller, Curtis Weston, Danny Jackman, Andy Barcham, Rene Howe (Chris Dickson 80 minutes), and Simeon Jackson (Dennis Oli 63 minutes).

Unused Subs: Simon Royce, Mark Bentley, Chris Palmer, Jack Payne and James Walker.

Attendance 3,894 (351 Gills fans).