Gills get lucky win

By Jack Nolan
September 30 2006

Gillingham moved into thirteenth place today after an lucky victory over Cheltenham. The Gills did dominate early on though and took the lead through Matt Jarvis who has been linked with Arsenal, Spurs and now Aston Villa this week.

Gillingham.2.1.Cheltenham Town
Priestfield Stadium
Atendence: 5688

Gillingham moved to three points off of the play-offs today after a lucky three points at Priestfield on Saturday. The Gills took the lead early on with Matty Jarvis scoring his fifth goal of the season. Jarvis latched onto Flynns pass and fired home from a tight angle to give the Gills the then deserved lead.

But the Gills could have taken the lead earlier after a brilliant piece of skill by Mickey Flynn put Guylain through who returned the ball to Flynn whose shot was blocked and Matty Jarvis' rebound was well saved by Scott Brown.

But then woeful defending by Gillingham allowed the Robins to equalise. Danny Jackman lost the ball and left McCann who he was meant to be marking in acres of space to run at Flinders at fire home the equaliser.

Gillingham then regained the lead minutes from the interval after Danny Jackman's cross was met by the head of Mark Bentley who scored his second goal in two games - both from headers, his third overall this season.

The Robins started brightly in the second half but failed to get a good shot on goal. Most of the second half was played by the Gills constantly launching the ball upfront after winning it in the Gills half. But one of those balls picked up Guylain Ndumbu-Nsungu who beat off his defender, got one on one and did all the hard work but failed to find the net.

Scott Flinders then pulled off some heroics between the sticks late on making a triple save. One on seventy three minutes preventing Caines to equalise then an injury time double to ensure the Gills got all three points.

MANAGERS VIEWS

Ronnie Jepson:

"We were smashing for the first 15 minutes and took the game to them. We then took our foot off the gas and let them back in. Mark Bentley scored a good goal for us but we were not at our best today."

"All credit to the lads though as they dug in even though we weren't able to kill the game off. We worked on our counter-attacks and have got Guylain Ndumbu-Nsungu in. He could've made it three-one so we could have breathed a little easier but, unfortunately, it has just gone the wrong side of the post.

"The main thing is that my strikers are getting there and the team is scoring goals. Guylain has had a great chance and maybe he should've stuck it away. He did fantastic to get there but hasn't missed that on purpose, so give the lad credit for that. All strikers miss them. Watch Match of the Day tonight and you will see Premiership strikers miss them.

"If we had got the third, we could have gone on to get more and that may have demoralised them. Scott Flinders was called into the action in the last ten minutes and made some good saves and we dug at it. We have played better than that this season and lost so I think we were due one of them where we come under the cosh but see it out to get the valuable three points.

"It was a nervous performance from both sides. We have let them back in and given them the impetus to come have a go at us in the second-half, which they did. We stuck at it with our two banks of four, have got Guylain in and, like I said, if we had scored that third, we could've won that game comfortably and opened them up a little more. We went and made it very difficult for ourselves in the last quarter of the game."

"It was a difficult game and we knew that all week as we were trying to get it into the lads. When you are playing a team that have lost several on the spin, then it is going to be tough as you know they are going to end that run sooner or later. We saw them at the beginning of the season and they were on fire and playing some good stuff. They have hit a bad patch and I knew they would be wanting to put that right.

"Make no mistake about it, they have got two very good strikers. Steve Guinan is a good old pro and the lad Kayode Odejayi, he is a handful. Ian Cox and Leon Johnson had it all day long with them. I have to give credit to 'Coxy' though. At half-time, he was feeling concussed. Our Physio, Simon Webster, gave him a few minutes and fair play to 'Coxy', he came out again for us in the second-half, which I thought was very admirable.

"They threw one of the lads up front so were going to launch it and win the seconds. We were perhaps a yard off from where we should have been winning the second balls. That can be the case when you are defending a lead and the opposition are pumping it forward and you back-off."

"It was important. You look at some of the performances to date and the results. We have got four points from our last two games and maybe we would have taken that when we looked at the fixtures. The lads have worked hard. They came in for a bit of flak after the Orient game from the supporters and myself but they responded well today. It was not a good performance in terms of getting it down and playing well but we stuck to the task and got the valuable three points.

"We have got a few young lads out there but also a few with a bit of experience. We could do with maybe one or two more at this moment in time as your heart is in your mouth at times. The lads are having a go though and as we go along, hopefully we can learn from our mistakes. We'll just keep at it. We know where we are up to and know our standards. We'll keep working hard and try to improve as we go along."

"There is room for improvement in Matty's performances. It was a good finish from Matty but there were parts of his game that I was not happy with and I told Matty that after the game. It certainly is not a one-man show. It is about all eleven players, plus the bench and the lads in the stand. We have a nice togetherness at the club and stick together in everything that we do.

"Of all my players today, I think Mark Bentley was exceptional out on the right-hand side today. One or two lads were under par today but we still got the three points. There is still improvement in all the boys and I will push them. I just hope that they can produce it from within."

"Bas Savage gives us another option. We haven't got the biggest squad in the World, everyone knows that so it is nice to get them other options. Bas gives us that. We have signed him on a short-term contract until Christmas. He is a lovely lad and a good lad to have about the place. Hopefully he can do well. We'll have a look at him and take it from there."

John Ward:

"Football is full of ifs and buts and maybes and all games will be talked about in that way. But you are not going to come away from home and play as well as we did yet not get something too many times. It was a slowish start to the game for us but we got an equaliser and we didn't want half-time to come because Gillingham were a bit flat and we were the ones on top. We then marked quite poorly off the second cross coming in from a corner and we gave Gillingham a lift.

"But my team responded fantastically in the second half. We went forward, made a couple of changes and had a real good go for it. I think that was borne out by the response of the travelling supporters who, although they saw us get beat, have stood up to a man and applauded the team off. I thank them for that because they are honest enough to let us know when the team is not very good and honest enough to tell us when we've had a real good go and we did that today.

"Gavin Caines perhaps needs a bit more finesse if he is going to play up front but his heart is in the right place and he enjoys his little forays forward. We are missing a few people at the front with pace and power and Gavin at least gives us that for 20 minutes at the end of the game. It's worth a gamble with two younger centre halves coming in and Gavin pushed up front.

"We needed perhaps to get through that first 20 minutes without anything going against us and then suddenly pick up that bit of life that we found. We talked about starting quick and we talked about Gillingham starting quick and we didn't quite match it. We're disappointed with the two goals we conceded but the response after that was exceptionally good. There is nobody feeling sory for themselves. If we keep doing that then we will get back on the path pretty quickly.

"If you follow this team on a regular basis then you will know that we don't lose very easily and we have shown that again today. There are some disappointed guys in the dressing room but if we take that second half today and take it into the game with Yeovil (on Friday evening) then hopefully we will get something that drops our way.

"Football is a bit of good fortune at times. If we put the right people in the right places then we will get something. Today, that hasn't happened but we have to stay strong because when it does happen, people will be far better for the experience. It is mine and my staff's job to pick up these boys but we can be heartened by what has happened here today.

"There a lot of good things about this football club about this club and I like to look at the bigger picture. This group will be better and stronger for this experience. I have no doub about it and I will be there to lead these guys on and give them the benefit of my experience to encourage them to come through it. This club will be stronger for that."

Stats: The Gills dominated the possesion 58% to Cheltenham's 42%. Gillingham had ten shots on target to Cheltenhams seven with the Gills seeing four shots off target to Cheltenhams six. Both sides had seven corners each and the Gills commited the most fouls with fifteen to Cheltenhams five.

Teams:

Gillingham

13 S Flinders
02 D Jupp
06 I Cox
14 L Johnson
03 D Jackman
08 M Bentley
04 M Flynn
07 A Crofts
12 C Easton (60 B Savage )
21 M Jarvis
24 G Ndumbu-Nsungu (81 D McDonald )

Substitutes
17 B Savage,
25 A Pouton,
22 D Spiller,
10 D McDonald,
16 S Clohessy
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Cheltenham

12 S Brown
02 J Gill
05 G Caines
15 M Townsend (79 M Wylde )
19 C Armstrong (71 J Melligan )
07 B Wilson
11 G McCann
14 D Bird
33 M Bell
09 S Guinan (71 K Lowe )
17 K Odejayi

Substitutes
34 W Puddy,
06 K Lowe,
21 R Elvins,
22 J Melligan,
26 M Wylde