[ 7 Nov 15 ] Stevenage v GILLS Match Thread (FA Cup)

[Garawa]

Stevenage (managed by Edinburgh's former Spurs team-mate Teddy Sheringham) are twentieth in League 2 with 3 wins and 8 defeats whilst the Gills are third in League 1 with 9 wins and 3 defeats.

This is only the 6th meeting between the sides. The Gills edge the wins 3 to 1 and won the last meeting, a 1-0 win at the Lamex last season in the JPT.

The Gills have only met lower league opposition away in the first round on 7 previous occasions and are looking for their first win (losing 4 of the 7).

This is the Gills 55th away tie in Round 1 of the FA Cup. We have won 15 and lost 22 of the previous matches.

Stevenage have just 1 win in 11 matches. 7 of the remaining 10 ended in defeat including a 5-1 home defeat by Oxford in their last match.

Top scorer in the Stevenage squad is Chris Whelpdale with 4 goals from 13 appearances. Fellow former Gill Charlie Lee has 1 from 12.

The Gills have scored in all of the 6 meetings between the sides whilst Stevenage have suffered 2 blank sheets.

3:02: Kick-Off

3:15
GOAL! Stevenage 1-0 Gillingham.

3:31
GOAL! Stevenage 2-0 Gillingham.
Chris Whelpdale scores against his former club.

3:50: Half-time 2-0

3:55
23 of the 30 goals Stevenage have conceded have been in the second half of league games but only 5 of the 18 the Gills have conceded have come then.

4:43
The Gills have scored as many league goals in the final 10 minutes of games as Stevenage have scored in the whole of their second halves.

4:53
GOAL! Stevenage 3-0 Gillingham.

4:55
Emmanuel Osadebe hits the bar.

4:58 FULL-TIME 3-0

Attendance: 1,619 (519)
Referee: Trevor Kettle

[Kent_UckyFriedGills]

I`m going to the game with FOM,and it is a new ground for me to tick off.We should win on paper,but it is the FA Cup and funny results do happen as we know too well.Quite surprised it is only one ticket per person,seeing as there are 2,000 Tickets should we need them.

[fan_of_mulligan]

I think Gillingham will line up as follows.......................

----------------------------------Nelson---------------------------------------
Jackson-------------Egan---------------------Ehmer------------------Garmston
------------------Houghton--------------------Loft-----------------------------
McGlashan---------------------Donnelly-----------------------------B.Dickenson
--------------------------------McDonald------------------------------------------

Subs: G.Morris (GK), Thompson, A.Morris, Hessenthaler, Osadebe, Williamson, Mbo

With Josh Wright and Bradley Dack both suspended, Adedeji Oshilaja and Luke Norris injured and no news about Harry Lennon having permission to play from Charlton Athletic, then Gillingham are down to bare bones and may just have to get through this match and at least Bradley Dack and Josh Wright will both be available for the game against Yeovil Town in The Football League Trophy.

The Back Five Picks itself and Bradley Garmston made Gillingham's defence stronger when he played at left back and Brennan Dickenson played at left midfield and I would start with those two with the way we ended the game against Walsall at The Bescot Stadium, and I would Rory Donnelly into The Central Attacking Midfield Position playing behind Cody McDonald, I think Donnelly is more likely to score or create goals from that position and he would be the perfect replacement for Bradley Dack, as Jordan Houghton has got permission to play from Chelsea I would throw him straight into the starting eleven alongside Doug Loft.

Two youngsters will have to be named on the bench as Justin Edinburgh has failed to sign a striker in time for the match against Stevenage and I am not sure if Harry Lennon can play tomorrow, I have gone with Riccardo Thompson and Noel Mbo, but I am guessing on there inclusion in tomorrow's eighteen man match day squad, £20 is very expensive and I can see a lot of supporters for both sides being put off paying that amount of money for A FA Cup First Round Tie, I will be going to Stevenage and hopefully Gillingham come back from Broadhall Way with an important win - COME ON THE GILLS!!!!!!!!!!

[Garawa]

Hard to pick a man of the match from that so I won't! Another victim of giant killing we never seem able to dispose of sides like this! Overall it is now just 4 wins in 15 against lower league opposition. For a side that scores freely, to lose 3-0 to a side that is struggling is a bit poor especially as it was a comprehensive win. Let's hope it's the "magic of the cup" and we don't continue this into the league.

[fan_of_mulligan]

Today's result was by far the worst performance and worst result of the season and the first thing I am going to have to do is say well done to Stevenage, because Teddy Sheringham had a game-plan and his players played that game-plan effectively and efficiently and Stevenage fully deserved to win and 3-0 even flatters Gillingham to some degree as well, our players were out-fought, out-thought, out-muscled and clueless, against a team who looked liked they wanted the win more then we did.

But Justin Edinburgh has to take criticism for that performance today, Brennan Dickenson struggled at left back against Walsall Last Saturday so why did he play Brennan Dickenson at left back against Stevenage ??? why did he play The 4.4.2 Diamond Midfield Formation which Barnsley tore apart at Oakwell over a month a go in a game as important as Stevenage in The First Round Of The FA Cup ??? why didn't Justin Edinburgh make the necessary changes at half time to try and get Gillingham back into the game and why did he substitute Cody McDonald ??? - Justin Edinburgh did have his hands tied in team selection with Harry Lennon, Adedeji Oshilaja, Josh Wright, Bradley Dack and Luke Norris out either through ineligibility, injury or suspension, but Justin Edinburgh named a team and formation which was clearly never going to work because both Jordan Houghton and Emmanuel Osadebe are both light-weight in the middle of midfield and Cody McDonald and Rory Donnelly lacked the service and quality they require to make a difference.

What hurts the most about this defeat is the fact that this performance came in possibly our most important game this season, to lose 3-0 and put in that performance of The First Round Of The FA Cup hurts because this was our chance to have a cup run and maybe, just maybe, reach The Third Round Of The FA Cup, get a glamour cup tie and bring in additional revenue which will strengthen the squad in January for The Second Half Of The Season, It's not just the fact that Gillingham have lost against Stevenage, but it is the loss of additional earnings and the feel good factor a run in The FA Cup that can bring to your side which is what hurts the most about today's result.

Josh Wright has been suspended for the last three matches and Gillingham have drawn against Southend United 1-1, lost to Walsall 3-2 and lost 3-0 against Stevenage, we have missed Josh Wright's calming influence and quality in the middle of midfield, we also missed Bradley Dack for his tenacity, work-rate and quality in possession of the ball, Emmanuel Osadebe and Jordan Houghton looked lost out there on the pitch and replacing those two with Josh Wright and Bradley Dack may have made a real difference today.

Gillingham are still missing A Target-Man who can hold the ball up, knock the ball on and also win the first header from Ryan Jackson's long throw's, Luke Norris was sitting in the away end with Gillingham Supporters and we could of done with him on the pitch, I couldn't write A Detailed FOM BLOG for the match against Stevenage, just watching the game was frustrating let along writing thirty times how Stevenage have attacked down our left because Brennan Dickenson was out of position at left back, I hate to have a go at players individually, but Brennan Dickenson had one of those games where he probably wanted the ground to open up and swallow him whole because he was clueless at left back, but also, there were far too many players on the pitch who's performance levels were not up to standard.

I also got to mention Trevor Kettle for the pathetic decision he made to book Rory Donnelly, Rory Donnelly quite rightfully said that Goalkeeper Jesse Joronen should of walked round the side of the pitch while being assisted off the pitch, rather then walk across the pitch and waste a bit of time for Chris Day to come on, Trevor Kettle clearly cannot take criticism and decides to show Rory Donnelly a booking and Rory Donnelly sarcastically applaud's Trevor Kettle, That one incident annoyed me, but any attempt to blame The Referee Today - even though it is Trevor Kettle - would be papering over the cracks, Gillingham got what we deserved against Stevenage - nothing - the challenge now is to put things right and win against Yeovil Town in The Football League Trophy on Tuesday Night.

[Kent_UckyFriedGills]

I thought it was a really poor performance from the start.I would put it up there with the 4-0 defeat at Brentford under Stimson.The diamond formation hasn`t been working away from home,and again today it didn`t.Stevenage looked right up for it and we looked way off the pace.They had a lot of joy down our left hand side just like at Colchester.Dickenson really struggled and was out of position.Garmston has to start on Tuesday.With their joy down the left you could see a goal coming and it did after 12 minutes.A second looked likely as they continued their joy and we struggled to keep hold of the ball.They went 2-0 up on 28 minutes and the bbc are giving it to Whelpdale,he looked pleased as punch to have scored against us.That was game over as you could see we wouldn`t get one goal let alone two.The second half we looked marginally better than the first,but the final 10 minutes we looked good and threw a lot at them.Donnelly couldn`t quite stretch to find the net,Williamson came on and missed a sitter with his header going wide,and Osadebe`s effort hit the post.If we had played with that urgency from the start we would have got a replay at least.As we attacked they caught us on the counter and they got a third with a 2 v 1 and a simple tap in.It was a really poor performance overall,and i`m glad Edinburgh had a right go at the players after,as it wasnt an acceptable performance.

We need to show a reaction quickly against Yeovil in the JPT.

[Goalmouth]

I'm more bothered about a reaction v Bury next Saturday. We don't suddenly become a bat team. Perhaps the supensions and injuries have found us out.

[gillsfan1066]

No Sir you are right, sometimes were a bowling team , we can not always be a batting team.
As far as I can see I suggest we field the reserves Tuesday night against Yeovil, get knocked out of that stupid competition and concentrate on promotion. I understand that all good teams have a bad spell here and there, lets hope ours is over for now.

[Goalmouth]

Damn these fat fingers! Or should I say bat fingers?
Anyway, I think I was more surprised that Maidstone couldn't beat 9 man Yeovil than I was that we lost to Stevenage.

[Garawa]

Surprised or thrilled? Think I enjoyed that result the most, couldn't bear the snide remarks of "we are in Round 2 but not you"! Who'd have thought out of Gills, Dover, Maidstone and Welling, only the latter would progress!