10 man Gills hold on for point

By Jack Nolan
January 21 2007

Bas Savage scored just his second career goal on Saturday as the ten men of Gillingham held on for a point at Whaddon Road after Cox saw red for the second time in for games. On loan goalkeeper Dean Brill put on a stunning performance to ensure that Gillingham went back to Priestfield with a point.

Cheltenham Town.1.1.Gillingham
Coca-Cola Football League One
20/1/2007

Gillingham were aiming to secure their first point of 2007 on Saturday, as Cheltenham were aiming to gain all three points in the bid for survival in League One.

The game got off to a dream start for Gillingham, as Bas Savage scored his first goal for Gillingham - his second career goal in sixty one appearences at proffesional level. Matt Jarvis, who looks to be staying until the end of the season after all, sprinted past the Robins' defenders before teeing Bas Savage up for his first Gills goal - which was followed by a cool 'Moonwalk' by Big Bas.

Mike Flynn has netted nine goals away from home so far this season, and the Gills skipper could have netted his tenth when his 25 yard effort was well saved by Robins 'keeper Higgs.

At the other end Ian Cox conceeded a free-kick after bringing down Scott Brown, and got a yellow card for his troubles. Then from the following free-kick, Cheltenham's JJ Meligan found a way through the Gillingham wall to beat Dean Brill in the Gillingham goal.

With half-time fast approaching Ian Cox saw red for the second time in just four games. Cox's challenge on Cheltenham dangerman Kayode Odejayi earnt Cox his second yellow.

Goalscorer Bas Savage was then forced off at half-time to be replaced by Leon Johnson as Ronnie aimed to go back to Priestfield with a point.

Jarvis then had a glorious opportunity to give the ten men of Gillingham all three points. A brilliant through ball from captain Mike Flynn found the Gillingham star who beat one defender only to lose the ball under pressure just before shooting.

The game ended all square meaning the Gills would go back to Priestfield with their first point of 2007. Mark Bentley however picked up his fifth yellow of the season, meaning that he will miss one game.

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RONNIE JEPSON

"We were down to ten men for 45 minutes and I thought the lads showed a good response. I was a bit disappointed at half time we weren't a couple of goals up. Mark Bentley had a chance and there were two or three others in the first period, and then at the death when Matty went through, if he had lifted his head up and seen Mullers we might have even won it with ten men.

"I think the lad (Kayode Odejayi) is very clever at it, he's a good player and is one I was interested in during the summer. He has a little tug at you and then tries to turn away, and people tug him back. I was a little disappointed because I was going to put Leon on at half-time anyway because Coxy was walking a tightrope.

"It was a very open game, out there it was swirling a lot and we were kicking against the wind in the first half, and I think if we had the extra man in the second half we could have posed a lot more problems.

"I said to the lads at halftime you have every excuse you want today if you want to use them, but I wanted them to go out and show the supporters they care, and I thought they did that in abundance in the second half.

"It was a shame I had to bring Bas Savage off at half time, it was a toss up between him and Mullers because they both work hard and they were causing lots of problems. It was a great bit of skill from Jarvo to get to the by-line and pull it back for him, and that's how strikers like them, the little tap-ins. We've been working on Bas to get into those positions and he got his reward today for the hard graft he's put in.

"One of the lads has turned in the wall and it's gone underneath them and through the wall, I was a bit disappointed with that, but I thought Dean Brill was superb today, some of the saves he pulled off were a different gear.

Gillingham travel to Swansea on Tuesday, in a fixture which earnt the Gills their first away victory last season and the Gills went on to win the double over the Welsh side. Earlier this season the Gills beat Swansea by three goals to one thanks to a brace from Ian Cox and a superb Matt Jarvis goal, with Leon Knight getting Swansea's consolation who has been linked with a move to Gillingham. Ahead of Gills' trip to Wales on Tuesday, Jepson said: "We'll treat it as we would any game, we know it's going to be tough, they are a top drawer side, so we'll go in tomorrow morning and assess how many we've got to take to Swansea and we'll take it from there.

"We'll go same as we always do, 4-4-2, we'll stand up and be counted, we'll have a go and on our day you know we can give anybody a game but you've got to be on the top of your game to get anything out of a trip to Swansea. They've spent a hell of a lot of money to try to get out of this league, and they have high expectations, and rightly so with what they've spent. It will be a tough game for us," Jepson concluded.