Gillingham 0 Stockport County 0 ( Football League 2 ) Tuesday 20 February 2024

 

 

 

 

County did their level best to put Saturday`s defensive nightmare behind them at Gillingham`s Priestfield Stadium tonight – coming away with a point from a 0-0 draw that keeps them top of L2 by 2 points.

They will rue not taking 3 points off the Gills though, as with Mansfield not having a game the Nottinghamshire side now have a game in hand.

They still have to win that however, and they are finding doing that increasingly hard as the season progresses.

As for County, last night`s performance was a big improvement upon Saturday`s against Tranmere, but while the blues were easily the better of the two teams on show they showed little in the way of aptitude in front of goal that might turn their obvious superiority into the gold of goals.

That said, with Horsfall restored to the middle of the defence, the blue back line looked altogether a better prospect game long- making Hinchliffe`s work load significantly lighter than it was  against Rovers.

 Evans, Powell, Bailey and Tanto were all on the bench as was Bennett – all barring Evans & Bennett got minutes on the park but without upturning any trees in the process.

Fortunately, Gills were particularly poor throughout and it would have been a major surprise had they scored.

However, County, with the amount of possession they had , particularly in the first half, really should  have profited from it with at least one goal, but long before the end that prospect had drifted off in the cool Kentish evening air!

……………………………………

 

It was heartening to see a big following almost filling the Gordon Road Stand and they were doing their utmost to lift the roof from its moorings with an impressive rendering of just about every player orientated County song and a good few others- the team surely must have been lifted by this?!

Horsfall just looked as he had when we last saw him- solid and reliable as he took an early touch sending Madden scurrying into the box unrewarded.

That was an encouraging start as Horsfall`s impact spread across a back 4 that looked an altogether better unit than had Saturday`s.

And Hippolyte gave us more reasons to be cheerful – involved in the very next County raid, and a constant along with Collar and Madden putting pressure on what looked a diffident home defence.

Croasdale joined in but was unlucky with a strike on 7 minutes.

As play progressed both Collar and Hippolyte, particularly Hippolyte, kept the pressure on – Cass going close from one of Myles` runs- home keeper Jake Turner having to stretch excessively to reach an effort from Hippolyte as Cass returned the compliment.

It took Gillingham 17 minutes to mount an attack in response, but Cass was on hand when it mattered to snuff the raid out as Clarke ran onto a decent through ball.

But that was the briefest of interludes as County were soon back on the front foot with Hippolyte and Collar in the van of the action- but it fell flat when a corner won by the duo was wasted allowing Stephen Clemence`s side a brief respite.

And it was brief as a foul on Collar ushered in a free kick from another move with Hippolyte`s imprint on it. Turner could not hold onto Hippolyte`s free kick but somehow Gills survived.

Collar however was not in a good way and it was dismaying to see Mr Swarbey ( who would regrettably emerge as a seriously underwhelming be-whistled presence ) harass Collar as he made to leave the field ( clearly injured …and…err…even more clearly fouled) booking him to boot- abysmal reffing!

Bailey came on for Collar as County continued to press- encouraged by a rash of miss placed passes from Gills- Hippolyte unlucky with a powerful shot, on 28 minutes, that was pushed out for a corner. The corner was headed clear, and any chance was gone, but we kept hoping for better- Sarcevic not far away with a shot 2 minutes later but it stayed 0-0 none the less.

The game began to drift slightly soporifically towards half time for about 10 minutes- temperatures under the Gordon Road Stand roof rising significantly after that period as both Wootton and Hippolyte got `the treatment` from harassed home defenders. The referee saw the fouls, gave the free kick  but this failed to test Turner in the home goal much to County fans disappointment.

Then, with 3 minutes of normal time remaining to play Mr Swarbey stepped centre stage again awarding a dubious free kick to County`s opponents and booking Hippolyte in tandem with that award.

 I was still severely uptight over that when the BP almost hit an all-time high as the ball reached Ethan Coleman from the free kick and he leathered it goalward. But I need not have got so alarmed as Hinchliffe was positioned perfectly to nullify Coleman`s effort and make the save!

We were almost at half time now, and my impression of Gillingham as a fairly poor side persisted , nurtured on a raft of miss placed passes and panicky ditherings- one such saw  Shadrach Ogie  gift wrap an unlikely corner to County almost smack on the break.

It maybe offered the black shirted blues a late first half chance but they just hit the ball from corner flag into Turner`s arms – any chance was gone!

With Bailey going close as County saw the half out attacking, it ended on something of a high for me as the away contingent ( an impressive 378)gave us a deafening rendition of `Dave Challinor`s Blue & White Army` - it ended a somewhat disappointing first half on an off the park high note!

 

……………………………………………..

 

 

Lady Gaga lights up Half Time Entertainment this time around…

 

https://youtu.be/OAuIY_eaL5U?si=LTUwAA4LL89DlJAs

…………………………………………..

Having been free with my criticism of the home team`s performance in the first half, it was interesting, if a touch irritating, to see them on the front foot immediately after the break –Kentish ears were perhaps burning from a Stephen Clemence word or two!

But they had absolutely nothing to show from a 4-minute spell of attacking- Hinchliffe was not troubled once.

Indeed, the closest thing to a goal came at the other end where Bailey`s effort fizzed inches beyond the wrong side of Turner`s right hand post!

Gillingham kept trying though – their free kick offering them hope that was cruelly dashed as Madden coolly headed the incoming ball to safety.

Madden was in action again close on the hour , harassing Ogie to concede a corner . This ushered in fresh hope of an opening County goal, a hope swept quickly away however by an awkward gather beyond his back post by Turner that was regrettably followed by some undignified theatricals.

Mr Swarbey bought the `dying swan` bit and awarded a free kick but thankfully, and perhaps amazingly, did not  get hoodwinked into further excesses.

County meanwhile were still not making full use of their possession, and this encouraged their opponents for sure and I winced as I looked right to see Ashley Nadesan who had only been on the park 5 or so minutes, in on goal. It was a chance, a rare one for Gills, and I feared the worst until the Gills number 10 lifted the ball over the bar!

That escape came courtesy of a home long throw and County would find Gills clinging onto that life raft of choice – hurling the pill in hoping to profit from what was perceived as maybe our `Achilles Heel`

With 20 minutes left Tanto came on for Wootton but the immediate action following this saw a Gillingham raid founder on a liners upraised flag ( offside).

Time was running out now and slowly but surely County were picking up the miscue habit from their opponents- Tanto through but too slow in his reactions to test the keeper – Sarcevic and Bailey also getting into good positions and then seeing the perceived chance slip away.

It went on…..Gillingham pressurising the blues via a long throw….County largely untroubled breaking clear forcing Turner into another save and more theatricals as at any moment we expected medics to be summoned and the keeper replaced- but neither happened!

And Turner was not alone in displaying a talent in matters thespian-as Coleman gave us a burst, or rather a rather inglorious dive, although it impressed Mr S who again obliged with a free kick to ease the pressure on the home goal.

That was annoying- it was good to see Powell on( for Madden ) but with just a minute of normal  time left I found myself not expecting much- although a small Powellian miracle would be most welcome as I had the second half added time on the Flyer first goal card!

It was not to be but there was a fair amount going on in and around the home goal as County kept looking for that late goal- Gills lumping the ball into the stand as a County free kick headed goalward, the ball finding its way to Sarcevic from this whose shot took a deflection that sent the ball hurtling wide of goal- the attacking momentum halted by a clumsy foul by Powell on Ogie.

Much attacking followed from County but with nothing in the way of a decisive finish included with same – Sarcevic centimetres from getting to a dangerous ball from Powell- Sarcevic and Touray frustratedly pressing for an opening down the left in the games dying embers.

Eventually Mr Swarley blew for time.

Whilst we headed home via the Flyer in a far better mood than we had been in after Saturday`s game, it was disappointing to note that second placed Mansfield now had the perceived wriggle room provided by a game in hand.

But as I said earlier – they still have to win that to cash in, so we will see will we not, and we need to see a degree of attacking nous added to our defensive improvement- hopefully for Saturday`s match with Swindon Town!

 

Gillingham line up:-

Turner, Hutton, Ehmer , Masterson , Ogie , Clark ( Malone 80) , Dieng , Coleman , Clarke , J Williams , Walker ( Nadeson 60).

Subs not used : Morris , McKenzie , S Williams , Mahony , Hawkins.

 

Stockport County line up :-

Hinchliffe, Cass , Horsfall , Byrne , Touray ,Croasdale , Hippolyte , Sarcevic , Collar (Bailey 28) , Wootton ( Olaofe 69) , Madden ( Powell 89).

Subs not used : Smith , Bristow , Evans , Bennett .

 

Attendance 5321 (378)

hedgegrower 

 

An  Additional Gallery from hedgegrower`s phone....