[ 20 Oct 15 ] GILLS v Scunthorpe Match Thread

[Garawa]

The Gills have won 1 of the last 8 home league ties with Scunthorpe whilst United have won all 3 of their last 3 visits to Priestfield in the league.

Scunthorpe's 4-2 win at Oldham was their first away league victory since beating Leyton Orient 4-1. It ended a run of 15 games without a win on the road and 10 of those ended in defeat.

After 3 consecutive defeats, Scunthorpe have since won 3 in a row whilst the Gills have won 4 of their last 5 games after 2 successive defeats

Scunthorpe's 3 clean sheets last season was the worst in League 1 (3 fewer than the next worst side Port Vale). However they have 4 so far this season, the same number as the Gills.

The Gills are unbeaten in 9 home league games (10 including cup) and have scored 24 goals, conceding just 7.

Scunthorpe's home league games this season have witnessed just 9 goals in total but their away games have seen 22. They have conceded at least 2 goals in each away league match.

7:45
Kick-Off

8:31
Half-time: 0-0

8:51
The second kicks-off.

8:58
GOAL! Gillingham 0-1 Scunthorpe
The opposition have taken the lead 10 times this season but the Gills have managed 16 including 7 in the last 5 games.

9:03
GOAL! Gillingham 1-1 Scunthorpe: Dickenson

9:25
Josh Wright is sent off for the Gills.

9:36
GOAL! Gillingham 2-1 Scunthorpe: Lennon

9:40
Full-time: 2-1

Position: 1st
Attendance: ()
Referee: Lee Swaby

[Kent_UckyFriedGills]

It`s good to have two home games,but a shame the game is soon after the injuries to Norris and Cody.Our record in the league in recent years against Scunthorpe isn`t good,so hope we can change that and keep fortress Priestfield going.

[fan_of_mulligan]

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

----------------------------------Nelson---------------------------------------
A.Morris------------Egan--------------------Lennon------------------Garmston
------------------Houghton------------------Wright-----------------------------
McGlashan-----------------------Dack------------------------------B.Dickenson
---------------------------------Donnelly-----------------------------------------

Subs: G.Morris (GK), Ehmer, Hessenthaler, Osadebe, List, McDonald, Williamson

I think Gillingham will stick with The 4.2.3.1 formation, but Brennan Dickenson will start on the left wing with Rory Donnelly playing on his own up-front, Jordan Houghton in for Jake Hessenthaler may well be the only other change to the team that started against Crewe Alexandra as we may well need to freshen things up in the middle of midfield.

Ryan Jackson's suspension along with Luke Norris being forced off through injury means that one of our younger players will be promoted to the bench as we're lacking numbers, I have gone with Elliott List as he is a winger who can play on both flanks, and we may need another pacey option off the bench should Brennan Dickenson and Jermaine McGlashan tire later on.

Hopefully Gillingham can build on the back to back away wins against Chesterfield and Crewe Alexandra by winning tonight - COME ON THE GILLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[lidbid46]

Well that was a ridiculous game! Sorry Gillsfan, but you had to be there to realise what an unlikely three points that was for Gills to win. Firstly, we weren't very good and we definitely missed our injured and suspended players; yes; even Norris. Secondly, you would have to ask the ref what on earth he thought was going on because from the RE that looked to be the most inept refereeing performance I think I have ever seen. Obviously I'm biased, but even so, he sa fouls were there clearly were none, did not see clear fouls, booked Gills players yet waved play on when Scunthorpe players did the same thing, then sent Wright off. I haven't seen a replay so will reserve judgement because I wasn't even looking, having followed the ball. However, the entire gills crowd seemed mystified as to why Wright was dismissed. Hopefully we will be able to appeal as we are running short of players! Then we understandably start to defend deep looking to protect our point only to score yet another injury time winner! I see the goal is being credited to Lennon but to us it looked as though Dack's speculative free kick just sailed into the goal. Even then it wasn't over as Nelson appeared to make a world class save with virtually the last touch of the match. I don't think we did enough to claim all three points but who cares? These are the kind of games you end up winning when you win the league - Arsenal, Man Untd etc often scramble wins like this. Perhaps it really is going to be our year!

[Garawa]

Two games in a row now and 4 points gained by late winners right at the death! This was a match we could easily have lost. Scunthorpe could have lead by a couple at the break and looked good when they took the lead but this Gills side just don't know when to give in and somehow won a match the referee tried to ensure we didn't! He was atrocious! Now the red card could have been a red in some games but it was late but not reckless and a yellow would have been fair (Josh looked utterly stunned). In the context of the game the ref let other challenges go without even giving a foul yet this was a red? Then Donnelly was pulled and pulled before being haul to the ground right by the penalty area - no foul even though minutes before Scunthorpe got a less obvious foul in a very dangerous position! Crazy.

Still, thats what 10 wins out of 11 at home and 4 wins in a row? Late goals turning games into wins! This is what championship winning sides do! I'm not saying we will but this stage of the season starts to show the front runners and boy are we showing our metal! Very satisfying win!

[Garawa]

I wrote my post whilst you submitted yours Lidbid and I totally agree.

Saw Nelson so pumped like I've never seen at the end of the match. Kissing the badge, punching his chest and the air shouting at the top of his voice! Wonderful, what a fantastic story. He has been great and what a story after looking like a discarded shoe back in the summer to not only stay but make the spot his own! Marvelous.

[lidbid46]

Yet I don't know what to think tonight. It wasn't good to watch and was not fluent like it has been this season but we still won! Strange.

[Garawa]

Champions win when not playing well. A long way to go but we are doing what I would expect the side at the top to do. Resorted to a lot of long balls which wasn't like us.......another second half formation switch did the trick, even one we really hadn't used!!

[lidbid46]

Well we obviously have something as we keep nicking games towards the end. We looked fit tonight and I thought Dack looked much better in the second half. I also thought garmiston played well but they were the only two who really stood out for me. Everyone else had workman like performances but it just lacked the fluency we have seen so far this season.

[gillsfan1066]

YEAH GARAWA, I can see why your the guy that does the competitions on this wonderful site, and I can see why I don't ever win.
FOUR points , as in FOUR POINTS from wins in the last two games, lol ????? OK that would have been fine in 1980, in 1981 wins became worth 3 points, thats THREE points,.......oh good grief why am I wasting my time, put the three year old on here and I will explain it to her, lol.

[Rimshot]

Untroubled by the reported poor performance, I managed to spill my coffee all over the carpet when the winner went in ! I've seen plenty of defeats where we were clearly the better team and for me this is just a natural re balancing of the universe.

[CadburyMan]

As I see it 1066 with minutes to go in each game we only had two points so those "at the death" winners earned another four points. Not really that difficult to understand - or is it ?

[Garawa]

That's right Cadbury. Going into injury time in the last 2 games we were on for a point in each but got 3 so 4 gained in 2 matches would be superb but 4 gained in 2 injury time periods is incredible!

[Kent_UckyFriedGills]

Not a great performance it seems,and Scunthorpe will be wondering how they never got at least a draw let alone losing the game.I thought we were going to continue our poor league run against Scunthorpe,but we found something again to nick the win at the death.It did sound like they would be the only side to get a winner,but it shows the character once again in the side to keep fighting back.Last season we would have lost a game like this 0-1.Take in players missing like Norris,Cody,and Jackson as well! To be top on 30 points by late October is madness! Hopefully we can keep this great home form going on Saturday.