OLDHAM v GILLS

[iblue]

FIRST HALF AT BOUNDARY PARK

Gills starting line-up and are unchanged from the Coventry defeat:

Stephen Bywater, Callum Davies, Joe Martin, John Egan, Kortney Hause, Jake Hessenthaler, Jermaine McGlashan, Aaron Morris, Bradley Dack, Brennan Dickenson and Cody McDonald – Subs: Glenn Morris, Matt Fish, Leon Legge, Antonio German, Amine Linganzi, Josh Pritchard and Luke Norris.

Steady but unspectacular start from both teams with some nerves showing and Poleon for Oldham was the first to test Bywater with a weak shot in the area that went into the side netting.

10 minutes gone and Oldham seem to be settling better although Gills defence holding up them well reducing Lattics shooting from distance.

15 minutes and Liam Kelly hit a thirty yarder on target but Bywater watches it flash just over his crossbar.

All Oldham at the moment with Gills forwards nowhere near the ball to cause problems let alone hit some efforts on target.

Oldham’s Dayton let fly with a shot on target but well saved by a busy Bywater – Gills on the defensive but at the moment coping well.

Cody Mac and others up-front might as well have a tea-break as the ball seems unlikely to reach them!

20 minutes - Oldham look the most likely to score but they lack a bit of sharpness up front and Gills defence are in charge - at the moment.

30 minutes - Near miss as Dayton for Oldham was given miles too much room by Callum Davies (the sort that normally would result in a goal from a better side) - but thankfully his effort went just wide with Bywater scrambling.

Not one shot from Gills on target and haven't seen anything from Jermaine McGlashan, Brennan Dickenson or Cody McDonald that promises a goal as yet but one chance for one Gills player hopefully will bring a goal.

40 minutes - Oldham free kick taken by Poleon from 25 yards but the on target shot was saved by Bywater.

42 minutes - Another free kick for Oldham from just outside Gills area taken by Liam Kelly but it was poor and a wasted chance by Lattics.

45 minutes - McGlashan has a decent chance with a header that was on target - the first Gills effort this half!

This is a poor match so far being played out by two very average teams and boss Peter Taylor needs to give the strongest rollicking to the Gills team in the half-time break. A better side than Oldham in League One would have certainly been in front. I need a cup of tea and Gills team need a pound of raw steak each.

HALF TIME: Oldham 0 v Gills 0 

[iblue]

SECOND HALF AT BOUNDARY PARK - Oldham 0 v Gills 0 - 3,785 attendance (154 Gills fans)

Lets hope for a more positive performance from Gills this half - it can't be as bad as their first half efforts

Oldham start the better of the two teams - obviously thinking that with a little composure in the Gills area they could score the opening goal.

50 minutes - McGlashan chases a rare through ball from the Gills midfield but too far ahead and Rachubka in the Oldham goal easily hacked it clear for a throw-in.

55 minutes - Best chance of the match so far that raised the home crowd when Oldham's Philliskirk completed a quick turn leaving defenders in his wake and his shot was well saved down to his right by Bywater who managed to get a full palm on the ball to turn it wide of his post.

[iblue]

OLDHAM 0 v GILLS 0

55 minutes - Gills continuing to look as if they are in a different game and stadium by giving the ball away to opponents without concentration. The crowd and the OLdham team are certainly sensing that one goal will bring more against a poor Gills performance. Gills defensive is working overtime and it can only be a matter of time before Oldham take the lead. Lucky they are not much better but this half it has been all Oldham.

On the hour there were two substitutions for Oldham in attack and Gills respond with two of their own with Luke Norris and Josh Pritchard replacing Bradley Dack and Cullum Davies respectively.

[iblue]

OLDHAM 0 v GILLS 0

65 minutes - Oldham's Jones loses Kortney Hause with ease and crashes a shot that was well saved by Bywater

Still 0-0 and it would be Gills first away point if they make 90 minutes but with the amount of wasted ball from all Gills players, all over the pitch, it is a wonder to all of us watching

70 minutes - At last a chance for Gills. Great through ball from Jake Hessenthaler and latched onto by Joe Martin who put over a great cross that was met by Brennan Dickenson who rifled a left foot shot that was well stopped by Rachubka in the OLdham goal. They can do when they concentrate!

75 minutes - Another error, this time from Jake Hessenthaler who chested a ball and lost control but as Oldham break with the ball captain Joe Egan saves the day and passes back to Bywater.

80 minutes - A great Oldham chance as Dayton puts a tremendous ball to Turner who ran into the box and beat Bywater but thankfully the ball rolled across the face of goal and wide.

You get the feeling that it might be Gills day and we might just nick this game.

82 minutes - Free kick for Gills that created a rare chance for Cody McDonald who fired in a shot out at the far post that was saved by Oldham's goalie.

85 minutes - Might be too little too late as at last Gills come to life with both Dickenson and Norris going close with half chances.

Gills have probably used up all their season luck in this one game but Oldham only have themselves to blame. However if Gills can be this average and get a point away then there is a glimmer of hope this season.

3 minutes of normal time left - Antonio German replaces Cody McDonald

Four minutes of added time for a Gills player to get a winner - sadly this did not happen.

Oldham wasted their best chance with one minute left as Morris blasted over into row Z from only five yards out - Gills lucky angel was looking down on them!

Full Time: Oldham 0 v Gills 0 - Good point earned and Gills are up but only stumbling away from Priestfield.

[svwhat]

Thanks for the report iblue. Happily take a point from probable playoff team. Yes I know we are finding scoring a little hard but keep a clean sheet is very encouraging as players getting to know each other.

[muppet]

Thanks again I-blue, good unbiased reporting. Sounds like we rode our luck, but a point and a clean sheet for a very young defence to me is a great result. Well done the lads and well done to the 154 individuals who made the trip.

[statotheblue]

Thanks for the report i blue.
As we fielded a unchanged line up,I did a bit of working out the average age of this team is just 23.4 years old.Just 22.5 if you take out Bywater.Between all of them they have played around 917 league appearances that is just over 83 each on average.Take out Bywater and that number comes down to just 619 app.That means our outfield players today and last week average just around 62 games each.Thats only 10 games more than Bradley Dack has played in.

[Deleted]

Many thanks once again for an excellent report iblue and an interesting add on from statoblue

[muppet]

Very impressed again stato, I guess a vast number of those games were also a sub and if so shows the lack of experience we have, but hopefully as we keep saying with time the team will gel and players improve.

[statotheblue]

Sept 14, 2014 10:26:14 GMT 1 muppet said:

Very impressed again stato, I guess a vast number of those games were also a sub and if so shows the lack of experience we have, but hopefully as we keep saying with time the team will gel and players improve.

I made a error in the stats not really living up to the name the total stats are 1117 app about 101 each not as above about 83 app for outfield players.Sorry big error on my part.

[muppet]

Far to honest stato, we would never have known!

[Deleted]

He who never made a mistake never made anything,
(but your only allowed one)

[gillsjan]

Out of the Country right now so please to be able to read your excellent report thank you.