Saturday 27 March - League Division One - Report by GillsConnect Man on the Terrace

This was made to look all the worse by MK Dons left back and captain Lewington who milked the ocassion by writhing around on the ground.

This incident came at a time when Gills were well on top and were looking more than the equal of MK Dons who are chasing for a Play off place.

From my viewpoint in the Medway Stand there was also the constant whingeing by MK Don manager Paul Ince and his assistants, players and club officials.

It all became too much for the fourth match official who summounded experienced referee Phil Crossley and Paul Ince was sent to the stands to sit with Dons owner Pete Winkleman.

No new experience for referee Crossley as he once sent the Special One José Mourinho to the stands in a Carling Cup game. CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO OF INCE SENDING OFF

Gills were more than capable of keeping their record of not letting any top ten side come to Priestfield and leave with all three points. Even with ten men for the whole of the second half it was evident that they had the measure of the Dons. With eleven players it could have been all three points toward their League One safety.

Mark Stimson named an unchanged starting line-up from last Saturday’s Charlton game, with Simeon Jackson rested and Chris Dickson on the bench.

The match started with heavy rain soaking the players, pitch and fans and although the Dons made a bright start with early chances falling to Luke Chadwick and their top scorer Jermaine Easter, the Gills were soon in the thick of it.

Rene Howe (right) who again led the line brilliantly, fed Sponsors Man of the Match Andy Barcham who went past Mathias Doumbe as if he wasn’t there before providing Curtis Weston - but the midfielder shot just wide.

Gills quickly settled in a quick passing mode and began to dominate forcing the Dons back deep into their own half and causing the first of many outbursts from manager Paul Ince and his assistants.

These were directed at Dons players and into the ear of the fourth official who spent a lot of his time asking Paul to retreat back into his dugout.

Then in the twentieth minute, and completely against the run of play, Dons had a huge slice of luck.

Darren Dennehy, who had a good game throughout, gave away a free kick on the edge of the area and it was only half cleared.

Luke Chadwick headed an optimistic ball back into Gills penalty area and David McCracken (pictured right) reacted quickest to strike the ball against Alan Julian’s post before scoring from the rebound.

All credit to Gills who didn’t let this faze them as they continued to press forward toward an increasingly shaky Dons defence which was causing Paul Ince to leap and shout instructions from the touchline.

Two minutes after the opening Dons goal Gills got a free kick of their own when Gleeson handled on the edge of the area.

Curtis Weston stroked the ball to Adam Miller (pictured left) and the Gills midfielder rifled a low shot into the corner of the Rainham End net through a gaping hole in the Dons wall.

Cue more shouting from Ince and Co.

Gills were in the ascendancy and were looking the most likely to add to their score as Dennis Oli (right), who was giving a typical all-action display, raced into the area only to be tackled from behind.

Dennis went down and, from my vantage point at the halfway line, it looked a stonewall penalty.

Referee Phil Crossley thought otherwise and booked Dennis for diving much to the annoyance of the Rainham End faithful who were only yards from the tackle.

This booking was to prove significant and costly. As the first half was drawing to a close Dennis made a heavy tackle on Lewington and received a second yellow followed by the red card.

The Dons should have re-gained their lead on 27 minutes, but when Luke Chadwick was put clean through his shot was brilliantly saved by the impressive Alan Julian.

However, worse was to come for the Gills as, in first half added time, the livewire Jermain Easter run though the Gills defence, picked up a through ball and let fly from some eight yards to make the half time score 1-2.

The referee left the pitch to a chorus of boos and cries of “You don’t know what your doing”

With Gills down to ten men and the Dons 2-1 up most Gills fans were resigned to their fate and expected a heavier defeat in the second half. However this current Gills side is in a reasonable run of form and is certainly made of sterner stuff then the last time they were in League One.

Gills rode their luck at the start of the second period especially when a through ball and clever lob from Jermaine Easter rattled the crossbar with Alan Julian just looking over his shoulder at the ball and well beaten.

MK Dons were wasteful with a number of chances as their extra man was beginning to tell on the Gills midfield and defence.

The Gills were not to be beaten however and on 65 minutes Andy Barcham (left) scored the equalizer. He ran through both Lewington and Sean O’Hanlon, that he had been doing all afternoon, before cracking a great shot past Willy Gueret in the Dons goal.

The aftermath of the goal was that Dons lost it completely claiming that Gills had fouled in the build up to the goal.

Paul Ince started remonstrating with anyone and everyone around him and then was sent to the stands.

On the pitch first Jermaine Easter then both Gleeson and Leven were booked for crude fouls and arguing as the Gills began to press for the winner.

Manager Mark Stimson sent on Chris Dickson replacing Curtis Weston for a final ten-minute go for a winner. They came close in the final stages when John Nutter put in a hard fast teasing cross that both Chris Dickson and Rene Howe just failed to connect as it raced past the goal mouth.

If only Gills had eleven players on the pitch throughout the result could have been so very different. 

Gills: Alan Julian, Stuart Lewis, Garry Richards, Darren Dennehy, John Nutter, Adam Miller, Curtis Weston (Chris Dickson 81 minutes), Danny Jackman, Andy Barcham, Dennis Oli and Rene Howe.

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

MK Dons: Gueret, Doumbe (Randall 80 minutes), McCracken, Tunnicliffe (O’Hanlon 46 minutes), Lewington, Gobern (Woodards 64 minutes), Leven, Gleeson, Chadwick, Easter and Wilbraham

Unused Subs: Davis, Howell, Carrington and Searle

Attendance: 5,465