Gills Match Reports

ACCRINGTON STANLEY 4 v GILLS 3 - BIG MATCH REPORT

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 13:15:37 +0000

Last Saturday, if Gills fans thought the defensive display in the home defeat against AFC Wimbledon was poor then they had to be at Accrington’s Crown Ground to see this shambolic Gills performance, especially in the first 45 minutes.

A Gills second half revival of sorts might paper over some of the cracks but it shouldn’t cover the obvious, that Gills were not good enough to win this game. Gills fans have to feel sorry for new striker Gavin Tomlin who has scored twice in each of the last two games but both times finishing on the losing side.

GILLS 3 v AFC WIMBLEDON 4 - BIG MATCH REPORT

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 09:07:47 +0000

Gills stumbled to a predicable and deserved home defeat by an improving AFC Wimbledon side that scored four times in the last 30 minutes of the match to overturn a 3-1 lead leaving Gills promotion push in tatters.

The Gills team had no answer to the skill and determination of the Dons outfit who showed that they wanted the three points more than Andy Hess’s men and left Matt Lawrence, Garry Richards and the rest of the shambolic defensive unit in complete disarray.

Although the Gills went a goal up inside four minutes, two up in 54 and three one up in 62 many Gills fans were never easy of victory as the Dons pressed and confidently swept the ball around the pitch. In the end it was a jubilant Dons touchline management and their 1,163 fans in the Town End who were celebrating a splendid fight back and deserved victory.

The one bright spot for the Gills was new striker Gavin Tomlin (right) who scored twice and assisted in the other during a great home debut but Gavin must be a disappointed player tonight as his efforts go unrewarded.

SHREWSBURY TOWN 2 v GILLS 0 - BIG MATCH REPORT

Sat, 14 Jan 2012 11:06:24 +0000

This was a real disappointment for the 247 travelling Gills fans as the Gills were not at their best in midfield, apart from outstanding Danny Jackman, no attack to speak of and a defence that was under pressure from fast moving and mobile Shrewsbury forwards.

Although they competed a little better in the second period, and manager Andy Hess rang the changes through substitutions, they were always second best to their League Two promotion rivals.

The Shrews are unbeaten at Greenhous Meadow this season and Gills never looked capable of spoiling that record with an ineffective Dennis Oli (right) leading the attack they were never going to be a threat and the Shrews duly completed the double over a very poor Gills team that on this showing will be lucky to be in the top ten next May let alone a top three automatic promotion place.

GILLS 1 v STOKE CITY 3 - BIG MATCH REPORT

Sat, 7 Jan 2012 09:03:37 +0000

Premiership Stoke City were comfortable winners at the end of this FA Cup Third Round tie although for the first twenty five minutes Gills played some delightful football, took the lead, and forced Stoke to re-evaluate the Andy Hess Gills team facing them.

At the start Stoke manager Tony Pulis (right) had strode onto the Priestfield pitch to receive an all-round warm welcome from the Gills fans in recognition for his previous four years work and popularity at the Club.

GILLS 1 v ALDERSHOT TOWN 0 - BIG MATCH REPORT

Mon, 2 Jan 2012 06:49:23 +0000

This was an extremely poor match between two teams who showed plenty of endeavour and ambition to score but none of the required skill where it mattered in attack to put their ideals into practice.

Early in the second half, following a comedy of shooting errors in the Shots penalty area, it took Danny Jackman to fire home across the face of goal in what turned out to be the winning goal.

Gills were reduced to ten men for the last 30 minutes after Joe Martin (pictured right) picked up his second yellow and although Aldershot came more into the game in the closing stages they failed to take full advantage and never looked like equalizing.

DAGENHAM & REDBRIDGE 2 v GILLS 1 - BIG MATCH REPORT

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 15:53:41 +0000

A horrible driving rainy night but terrific atmosphere generated by the Gills fans packed into the ground expecting Gills to continue their unbeaten run against struggling Dagenham, although their recent results proved that it would be no easy task.

As it showed, in the end Gills were beaten by a hardworking good and improving Dagenham side, that stopped their nine game unbeaten sequence.

Gills captain Andy Frampton (left) returned to the starting line-up, replacing injured Matt Fish, as the only change to the Gills from the Boxing Day win at leaders Crawley. The Daggers team included two ex-Gills in defender Richard Rose and midfielder Kevin Maher.

CRAWLEY TOWN 1 v GILLS 2 - BIG MATCH REPORT

Mon, 26 Dec 2011 09:00:55 +0000

Boxing Day joy for the Gills as they beat league leaders Crawley Town at their Broadfield ground to end Crawley’s 15 game unbeaten run and to ease themselves into sixth position.

After being reduced to ten men Crawley took a first half lead through a Matt Tubbs penalty only for Gills to burst into action at the start of the second period to take the lead in a competitive all-action match.

Jo Kuffour (right) hit both Gills goals and he supplied the one genuine touch of skill in the game when scoring his second as he weaved his way around the Crawley defence to hammer home an unstoppable winning goal.

GILLS 4 v BRISTOL ROVERS 1 - BIG MATCH REPORT

Sat, 17 Dec 2011 08:58:45 +0000

This was one of the best Gills performances so far this season to continue their unbeaten run, in front of the largest Priestfield crowd of the season, as they crushed a poor Bristol Rovers side by four goals to one.

Sponsor’s Man of the Match was Danny Jackman (right) but in truth the other ten Gills players on the pitch all played their part in a convincing victory that has kept them in the League Two Play-off positions.

The festive season started early at Priestfield with the crowd getting right behind the Gills in this last Saturday before the holiday and the Andy Hess team, minus Jo Kuffour but with Frank Nouble playing his last match, responded with attacking flair from the start.

MACCLESFIELD TOWN 0 v GILLS 0 - BIG MATCH REPORT

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 10:45:20 +0000

Instantly forgettable, goalless game between Macclesfield Town and Gills played in bitterly cold conditions in which Gills had the better chances but didn’t convert and only came away with a single point for the second successive League Two match.

Gills manager Andy Hess kept the same solid winning midfield from the Leyton Orient Cup game and made just one change up front against the Silkmen with Jo Kuffour (pictured right) coming in to replace young Stefan Payne.

LEYTON ORIENT 0 v GILLS 1 - BIG MATCH REPORT

Sat, 3 Dec 2011 11:44:51 +0000

A magnificent Andy Hess Blue Army of 1,400 Gills fans entered Brisbane Road and witnessed Curtis Weston (right) score for a great Gills Cup victory against League One Orient that put Gills into the Third Round of the F.A. Cup with a chance of facing a Premiership giant.

All afternoon the Gills fans were fantastic and never stopped encouraging the boys in blue, creating a superb Cup atmosphere that earned the reward of a possible cash bonus for a lucrative Third Round tie.

GILLS 0 v BRADFORD CITY 0 - BIG MATCH REPORT

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 09:17:37 +0000

Not many positives to record from the Gills goalless draw with lowly Bradford City in front of the biggest Priestfield crowd of the season who were presented with clueless Gills who seemingly had absolutely no idea how to win.

Bradford City came with a game plan, carried out manager Phil Parkinson’s (left) instructions to the letter and probably should have won the game as they had the better of the slim chances on offer.

Gills were poor at best and dreadful at their worst finding it hard to string together and control the ball on the ground as it was pumped high from one end of the pitch to the other, by-passing any midfield creativity.

GILLS 3 v BOURNEMOUTH 2 - BIG MATCH REPORT

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 18:05:32 +0000

Gills secured their place in the second round of the F.A. Cup to play Leyton Orient after defeating League One Bournemouth in the First Round Replay by three goals to two.

This was a good solid performance by the Gills and they were justifiably the better side, especially in the first period.

Although the Cherries came back strongly in the second period Gills scored twice at the right time to put the tie beyond doubt despite a late, late Cherries goal that gave the match a nervous ending for the Gills and their fans.

Andy Hess will no doubt be pleased with the squad players that stepped forward to fill gaps in the first team through injuries and ineligible players.

Dennis Oli put in a good shift making a rare start and young Stefan Payne (pictured right) scored a brilliant third goal to boost Gills when they were beginning to come under pressure.

ALDERSHOT TOWN 1 v GILLS 2 - BIG MATCH REPORT

Sat, 19 Nov 2011 10:38:53 +0000

The Gills dominated in the first period and should have won this game easily by three or four goals against an Aldershot side that produced an extremely poor performance throughout the first 45 minutes.

However, Gills two goal lead by Frank Nouble and Chris Whelpdale (right) proved just enough as Aldershot came back strongly in the second half, pulled a goal back, and forced Gills into serious defensive mode for the last fifteen minutes.

BOURNEMOUTH 3 v GILLS 3 - BIG MATCH REPORT

Sat, 12 Nov 2011 10:20:58 +0000

Two goals down in the F.A. Cup with only twenty minutes left but Gills fought back against their League One opponents Bournemouth to force a replay for Tuesday week when striker Danny Kedwell (right) scored a last gasp goal to make the score line 3-3.

This match lived up to the hype of the F.A. Cup with the underdogs fighting back in the last minutes, a truly spectacular goal and a performance from Bournemouth that really should have made the game safe.

Both managers had to reorganize their teams for the game, as players were unavailable due to either being cup tied or loan players not being allowed to play by their parent clubs. The Gills had young Argentine keeper Paulo Gazzaniga in goal and also welcomed midfielder Jack Payne back from injury but only had six subs for the match.

GILLS 4 v NORTHAMPTON TOWN 3 - BIG MATCH REPORT

Sat, 5 Nov 2011 09:50:56 +0000

Cool Danny Kedwell, under extreme pressure, whacked home an injury time Gills penalty into the Rainham End goal to win this entertaining thriller of a match against a lively and, in the end, a slightly unlucky Northampton Town.

The Man of the Match was undoubtedly Gills Jo Kuffour (right) who was outstanding throughout the match and especially so in the first half when he scored an excellent and well deserved hat trick.

MORECAMBE 2 v GILLS 1 - BIG MATCH REPORT

Sat, 29 Oct 2011 09:07:10 +0100

A subdued an ineffective Gills were beaten 2-1 by a workmanlike Morecambe side who moved comfortably into an automatic League Two promotion spot with only their third home success of the season on a rain swept Globe Arena pitch.

Against top seven sides Gills have not performed well this season and this was no exception.

They slipped further down the League Two table with their second consecutive defeat in two away games against leading contenders, without getting close to securing one point, let alone the three that manager Andy Hess demanded before the match.

SWINDON TOWN 2 v GILLS 0 - BIG MATCH REPORT

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 14:23:25 +0100

The long 30 year wait for a Gills win at the County Ground against Swindon Town continues as Gills went down to defeat from two well struck late strikes that gave the Robin’s three points but ultimately flattered Paolo Di Canio’s team.

The truth was that Gills played well enough to have got something from this game, having the ball hacked off the line, another shot hitting the post and striker Danny Kedwell missing an open goal from three yards.

There was no denying that the two Swindon goals were superb strikes, giving Ross Flitney (right) absolutely no chance as they flashed into the top of the net, but the 412 Gills fans left the County ground feeling that the score line was a little unjust.

GILLS 1 v OXFORD UNITED 0 - BIG MATCH REPORT

Sat, 22 Oct 2011 10:28:55 +0100

A pulsating match that provided pure excitement, one superb goal, host of missed chances from Oxford and a stirring backs to the wall defiance from Gills, plus a disappointing performance from referee Gavin Ward who handed out seven yellows and two reds.

The only goal of the game was a stunning 20 yard drive just before the break from Lewis Montrose (right) who powered the ball into the top right hand corner of the Rainham End net leaving Ryan Clarke groping thin air as it whistled past him.

WELLING UNITED 2 v GILLS 1 - BIG MATCH REPORT

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 23:09:06 +0100

A young Gills side showed great purpose and a lot of promise in this Kent Senior Cup second round match but despite taking the lead from a Stefan Payne (right) penalty, eventually lost to a stoppage time own goal.

Gills manager Andy Hess said before the match "I can't take the risk on any more injuries because we don't have enough bodies.” With this in mind Hess fielded a team made up of youth along with second-year scholars.

Hess commented, "It's not being disrespectful to the Kent Senior Cup but it’s a great opportunity for the young boys and certainly for the second-year scholars for us to have a look at them as well.”

In contrast Welling United manager Jamie Day insisted he will be taking Kent Senior Cup seriously and said he would use his first-team squad saying, "We're not going to play any younger lads and the boys that need 90 minutes in the first team squad will start, and we will then complete the rest of the side with first-team players.”