Gillingham 4-4 Aldershot Town

GILLINGHAM 4-4 ALDERSHOT TOWN
Coca-Cola League Two
Tuesday 17^th February 2009
Paul Parkinson reports from Priestfield Stadium

GILLINGHAM’S highest midweek crowd of the season witnessed a game that rose from a dire midfield battle to a rousing crescendo in the second half as Gillingham and Aldershot shared 8 goals in a pulsating thriller.

Mark Stimson, having dropped leading goalscorer, Simeon Jackson, to the bench, said that he had worked on getting the ball forward to the 3 strikers, but he couldn‘t have envisaged what would happen with the change of personnel.

In a match that suddenly sprung to life with two goals in two minutes halfway through the first half, and continued end-to-end in the second, it was unfortunate that the spotlight, and the ire of the Priestfield faithful, should fall all too often on the performance of the referee, Mr Atwell.

A scrappy opening spell, marked by a booking for Gills centre-back Mark Bentley for a scything tackle on Jake Robinson, saw the Rainham End populus bemused by a number of decisions that went in favour of the visitors. And it was the visitors that broke the deadlock courtesy of a complete breakdown in communication in the Gills defence.

Aldershot‘s midfield general, Scott Davies, broke onto a ball played behind Rene Steer and his deep cross was headed back into the danger area by Shots’ skipper Anthony Charles. Andy Lindegaard, left in acres of space in the area, stooped to power a header into the roof of the net from 6 yards, with Simon Royce helpless and the rest of the Gills defence awol.

This shock to their system saw the home side hit back with their next attack, with Adam Miller central to the action.

The Gills midfielder first fed a ball beyond the visitors’ backline for Andy Barcham, whose low cross was diverted goalward by Dennis Oli, only for the young Shots keeper, Alex McCarthy, to clear with an outstretched right foot. The ball fell back to Miller who, with a deft touch, fed Curtis Weston in on the right of the box, and Weston thundered a low drive across McCarthy into the right corner of the net.

This goal spurred the Gills on and from a Nicky Southall free kick, Garry Richards saw his looping header clear the Shots‘ bar by inches.

The industrious Gary Mulligan was maybe fortunate to only see yellow after protesting Mr Atwell‘s latest decision a little over-enthusiastically on 41 minutes; a decision which, from the press box, looked to have denied Dennis Oli a clear free kick after the forward was hauled to a standstill by Charles.

Maybe this decision-too-far led to Mulligan‘s withdrawal at half-time and what an introduction the returning Mark McCammon made!

The substitute, available for selection for the first time since 29th November, steered Southall’s 48th minute free kick into the far corner to put the home side in front.

Now apparently in full control, Gills saw Miller loft a shot just past McCarthy‘s right hand post, following good work on the right by Weston.

Simon Royce, though, had to be alert to turn a snapshot from Dave Winfield around his right hand post as Shots posted a warning against defensive complacency.

Almost immediately, it was the visitors’ defence that went missing, as Miller fed a delightful ball through for Barcham. The winger took two touches and shot low, then got the luck his run deserved as the ball rebounded from McCarthy, onto Barcham‘s knees and back into the net.

As in the first half, the crowd witnessed two goals in two minutes, but this time it was the visitors who hit back. Poor defending from an Adam Sandell corner, left Winfield free with the simplest task to head home from virtually on the goal line.

Worse was to follow, as a quick breakaway down the right by Robinson saw a deep cross to the back post, where Marvin Morgan headed back across goal and Bentley, in trying to clear, steered his header past the stranded Royce into the top corner of the net for the equaliser.

McCammon almost put the Gills back in front on 62 minutes, stooping low to meet a Miller cross, but saw his header fly past the left hand post.

Just as it seemed Gillingham had weathered the storm and were getting a sense of control back into the match, Aldershot hit them with another sucker punch.

A long throw was flicked to Robinson by substitute Kirk Hudson, and the forward‘s dinked cross into the middle was steered home by the unmarked Sandell to make it 4-3 to the visitors.

Another 4-on-3 break, with Scott Davies, Hudson and Robinson interchanging passes saw Simon Royce forced to save bravely at the feet of Morgan, as the visitors seemed to flow forward at will.

The game turned again on another decision from Mr Atwell; this time one that drew the approval of the Rainham End.

Miller and Weston combined well on the edge of the area and Miller’s burst into the box was halted by a lunge from Charles and Mr Atwell pointed to the spot.

With regular penalty taker, Jackson waiting on the touchline to come onto the pitch, Miller dusted himself off, buried the ball into the top left corner of the net to restore parity and immediately saw his number raised to be replaced.

Understandably, the tempo of the match dropped as time ticked away, but Barcham saw one more golden chance to snatch victory denied by McCarthy, after the goalkeeper denied a carbon copy move that led to the winger‘s earlier goal.

Gillingham: Simon Royce, Barry Fuller, Garry Richards, Mark Bentley, Gary Mulligan (Mark McCammon 45), Nicky Southall, Adam Miller (Simeon Jackson 71), Rene Steer, Dennis Oli, Curtis Weston, Andy Barcham.
Subs: John Nutter, Stuart Lewis, Alan Julian.

Goals: Curtis Weston 21, Mark McCammon 48, Andy Barcham 55, Adam Miller 71 (pen).

Booked: Mark Bentley 16, Gary Mulligan 41, Nicky Southall 57

Aldershot Town: Alex McCarthy, Andy Lindegaard, Chris Blackburn, Anthony Charles, Louie Soares (Kirk Hudson 63), Marvin Morgan, David Winfield, Ben Harding, Scott Davies, Jake Robinson (Danny Hylton 79), Andy Sandell.
Subs: Rhys Day, John Grant, Ricky Newman.

Goals: Andy Lindegaard 20, David Winfield 56, Mark Bentley 60 (own goal), Andy Sandell 66

Attendance: 5,974
Referee: Mr Stuart Atwell
Assistants: Mr Peter Kirkup & Mr Mike Bull
Fourth Official: Mr Iain Willamson