Tuesday 31 August - JPTrophy First Round - Report by GillsConnect Man on the Terrace

With Wembley the incentive it still looked a million miles away from Roots Hall as Gills never looked capable of reaching the next round, never mind driving to the new National Football Stadium. It was a drab game without a goal in open play during the 90 minutes and finished with some pretty dire penalties from the Gills team who are still without a win this season.

Gills Kevin Maher (left) had an incentive to show what he can do as he was returning to familiar terrority at Roots Hall having played 455 times for Southend and at least he scored his penalty kick in the final minutes. Kevin was captain for the Shrimpers for five seasons between the period January 1998 and May 2006.

Gills lined-up in a 4-3-1-2 formation with Luke Rooney operating just behind Mark and Cody.

The first ten minutes was instantly forgettable with long balls from both teams toward respective strikers without much creative midfield play. Gills had still not had a shot on target – no pattern of play and no chances.

On 14 minutes the enterprising Luke Rooney tried his luck from distance but his shot lacked punch and was well wide of Ryhs Evans in the Southend goal.

Gills were managing a little better both in defence and attack than the home side and a good ball in from John Nutter was headed narrowly over by Cody McDonald.

Southend came back strongly when first Blair Sturrock was denied by a good tackle from Josh Gowling running onto a through ball and then a really good effort from Southend’s Barry Corr that was tipped over for a corner by Lance Cronin. This corner was cleared and hacked up field by Tony Sinclair (right) who to this reporter was Gills Man of the Match.

Southend were coming more and more into the game and Gills defence were beginning to be pressed back well into their own half as Barry Corr was close yet again as another header from the striker skimmed the Gills bar.

Gills midfield “diamond formation” was looking pretty average and the result was no impact on the game, no real direction and no real creative chances to the front men.

Gills were finding chances hard to come by and their best efforts were reduced to Jack Payne’s long ball throw-ins. From one Tony Sinclair found himself in space and shot on the turn only to see his effort blocked by the Southend defence.

The game was opening up at both ends when first Adam Bouzid forced Lance Cronin to dive and save his shot with his legs and then Danny Spiller had a volley, direct from a corner, blocked on the line. Hessenthaler sent out new orders from the dug out and Gills revert to a more conventional 4-4-2.

First half was not the best of entertainment or real sustained effort from either team and therefore was really poor fare for the paying customers.

First goal bound pressure in the second period came Gills way when the improving Tony Sinclair reached a John Nutter free kick but his headed effort went just wide.

Gills trying hard and a well-worked free kick straight from the training ground ended with John Nutter hitting a shot over the bar via a deflection from a Southend defender. Three corners in quick succession for the Gills came to nothing as they began to take control of the game.

Andy Hess sent on Andy Barcham (left) who received a big knock and was left hobbling after just five minutes of action and almost immediately Cody McDonald was left limping by another robust tackle.

Gills were reduced to nine men for a few minutes and Hess had to make a decision to save his regular first team players for Saturday’s league match at Bury.

Stefan Payne came on for Cody McDonald as worryingly the striker limped gingerly to the touchline – possibly yet another injury problem for the Gills manager. Andy managed to run off his injury but still not looking comfortable which could possibly be a worry for the Bury game.

Out of nowhere Southend forced a wonderful save from Lance Cronin who pulled off a brilliant stop to deny Blair Sturrock from scoring the opening goal who appeared from nowhere with a clever run that left him with a great chance.

The game began to disintegrate to the level of the first half low performances by both teams and the penalty shoot-out loomed to settle this Johnstone’s Paint Trophy match.

The penalty sequence was as follows:

Gills Stefan Payne - MISSED - saved by Rhys Evans

Southend Ryan Hall - SCORED

Gills Mark McCammon - SCORED

Southend Craig Eastom - MISSED - saved by Lance Cronin

Gills John Nutter - SCORED

Southend Chris Barker - SCORED

Gills Kevin Maher - SCORED

Southend Matt Paterson - SCORED

Gills Danny Spiller - MISSED - shot high into the stand hitting row Z

Southend Anthony Grant - MISSED - saved by Lance Cronin to keep Gills in the game

Gills Jack Payne - MISSED - saved by Rhys Evans

Southend Blair Sturrock - SCORED - The manager’s son wins it for the Shrimpers.

Gills: Lance Cronin, Barry Fuller, Josh Gowling, Tony Sinclair, John Nutter, Jack Payne, Kevin Maher, Danny Spiller, Luke Rooney (Andy Barcham 63 minutes), Cody McDonald (Stefan Payne 70 minutes) and Mark McCammon.

Unused Subs: Alan Julian, Andy White, and Connor Essam

Southend United: Ryhs Evans, Peter Gilbert, Josh Simpson, Bilel Mohsni, Anthony Grant, Craig Easton, Barry Corr (Matt Paterson 65 minutes), Ryan Hall (Sofi Zaaboub 46 minutes), Adam Bouzid (Louis Soares 46 minutes), Blair Sturrock and Chris Barker

Unused Subs: Glenn Morris and Graham Coughlan.

Attendance: 3,073 (426 Gills fans)