Gillingham 2-1 Town - Match Report Saturday, 22nd Jul 2017 16:56 Town’s 100 per cent pre-season record ended with a 2-1 defeat at Gillingham, Danny Rowe pulling one back for the Blues after the home side had gone in front via a Tom Eaves penalty and Scott Wagstaff’s strike from distance. 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 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 - although the Gills had had a decent spell not long before half-time - and had a number of chances to make their superiority count, most notably when they had the succession of opportunities in the 15th minute. While the players warmed up ahead of the second half a storm erupted and rain fell heavily before stopping prior to kick-off. Six minutes after the restart the home side were awarded a penalty. Ex-Blue Martin went to ground rather easily as he took the ball past his former team-mate Chambers on the right of the Town area and referee Hicks pointed to the spot. Eaves sent Bialkowski the wrong way from the spot to give the home side the lead. The Blues had started to regain their earlier ascendency before the traditional succession of second-half pre-season substitutions began in the 65th minute when Danny Rowe replaced Ward. A minute later, Celina went within an inch or so of equalising, taking the ball down on the left before cutting inside and hitting a shot which beat Holy and scuffed the outside of his left post. On 67 a ball over the top hit Sears on his back with the former West Ham man otherwise through on goal. Four minutes later, the other nine outfield players were switched. After Bialkowski had saved Billy Bingham’s freekick, the home side made six changes of their own. In the 77th minute the Gills doubled their lead. Wagstaff brought the ball in from the right before hitting a superb strike beyond Bialkowski and into the top corner of the net.
Two minutes later, the Blues pulled a goal back. Conor McKendry crossed from the right and Rowe nodded home at the far post. Town went looking for an equaliser and on 80 Kenlock broke through into the area before hitting a shot which deflected off a defender into sub keeper Stuart Nelson’s arms. That proved to be the final chance of the match. The scoreline didn’t accurately reflect the game with the Blues having been well on top for most of the first half but without finding a goal. The penalty just after half-time was rather soft, then the Gills’ excellent second came after both sides had changed most of their players. While results aren’t the most important aspect of pre-season games, manager Mick McCarthy will still have wanted his side’s winning friendly run to have continued as the Blues move into their final games ahead of the season proper. Gillingham: Holy, O’Neill, Ehmer, Zakuani, Wagstaff, Eaves, Martin (c), Ogilvie, Parker, Bingham, Byrne. Unused: Nelson, Garmston, Chapman, Cundle, O’Mara, Nash, Wright. Town: Bialkowski, Spence (Iorfa 71), Chambers (c) (C Smith 71), T Smith (Webster 71), Knudsen (Kenlock 71), Ward (Rowe 65), Bru (McDonnell 71), Downes (Nydam 71), Celina (Morris 71), Garner (McGoldrick 71), Sears (McKendry 71). Unused: Gerken, Patterson, Fowler, McLoughlin, Crowe.
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