Gillingham 0-0 Town - Half-Time
Saturday, 22nd Jul 2017 15:56

Town’s pre-season friendly at Gillingham remains 0-0 at half-time but with the Blues having been on top throughout the first half.

Bartosz Bialkowski returned to the Town starting line-up having been ill for Tuesday’s game at Peterborough.

The starting XI featured 10 senior players plus midfielder Flynn Downes, who signed a new three-year contract earlier in the week having impressed manager Mick McCarthy during pre-season.

Adam Webster was named in the squad for the first time having overcome an ankle injury but there was no Cole Skuse, who is ill, and Teddy Bishop, who had picked up a knock.

Emyr Huws (calf) and Tom Adeyemi (illness) were again not involved, while Luke Hyam is also yet to play a part in any friendly having suffered an ankle injury towards the end of last season.

Former Blue Lee Martin skippered the League One Gills, who are managed by Ipswich-born Adrian Pennock.

Freddie Sears wasn’t too far away from opening the scoring at a blustery Priestfield Stadium in the third minute with a cross-shot which Gillingham’s 6ft 8in tall keeper Tomas Holy uncomfortably managed to tip over.

The Blues started strongly, moving the ball around slickly with Grant Ward on the right getting the better of his man on a couple of occasions.

Town almost went in front on a number of occasions on the quarter hour. First Garner saw an effort blocked from a corner, then his subsequent strike from the rebound was well saved by Holy. Kevin Bru returned the ball into the box and Sears turned it just wide.

On 21 Bru shot wide from distance, then two minutes later Jordan Spence hit a shot from distance straight at Holy.

Town continued to push for the opening goal and in the 25th minute Holy saved from Bru after exchanging passes with impressive new loanee Bersant Celina, who was regularly drifting inside from the left, and then Ward’s subsequent strike was blocked.

Gillingham went close to going in front with their first shot of the game in the 28th minute. Skipper Luke Chambers lost out to Gills striker Tom Eaves as they battled for a bouncing ball on the edge of the box. Eaves spotted Bialkowski off his line and tried a lob by the Polish keeper got back to push the ball past the post.

The home side threatened again in the 32nd minute when Josh Parker chased a Martin long ball and turned inside Chambers before being thwarted by a combination of Tommy Smith and Downes.

Joe Garner claimed a penalty just before the break when Luke O’Neill’s momentum carried him into the Town striker as he took a ball down with his chest but referee Craig Hicks wasn’t interested.

Town had dominated most of the half and had a number of chances to make their superiority count, most notably when they had the succession of chances in the 15th minute.

While the players warmed up ahead of the second half a storm erupted and rain fell heavily.

Gillingham: Holy, O’Neill, Ehmer, Zakuani, Wagstaff, Eaves, Martin (c), Ogilvie, Parker, Bingham, Byrne. Subs: Nelson, Garmston, Chapman, Cundle, O’Mara, Nash, Wright.

Town: Bialkowski, Spence, Chambers (c), T Smith, Knudsen, Ward, Bru, Downes, Celina, Garner, Sears. Subs: C Smith, Gerken, Iorfa, Webster, Kenlock, Rowe, McDonnell, Nydam, McGoldrick, Morris, Patterson, McKendry, Fowler, McLoughlin, Crowe.

Photo: Pagepix

Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.