GILLS v PRESTON

[iblue]

Gills starting line-up: Stuart Nelson; Gavin Hoyte; Leon Legge; John Egan; Joe Martin; Cody McDonald; Jake Hessenthaler; Josh Pritchard; Jermaine McGlashan; Danny Kedwell (captain) and Brennan Dickenson = Stuart Nelson in goal for the first time since getting injured in the opening match this season against MK Dons.

Gills Subs: Matt Fish; Antonio German; Luke Norris; Josh Hare; Bradley Dack; Stephen Bywater and Mark Staunton.

Cold night and possibly bad omen straight away with Gills losing the toss and are kicking toward the Rainham End for this opening half - never seem to do well starting this way but we will see. Gills looking lively in the first few minutes and good to see Danny Kedwell back in the Gills team after an eight week injury lay-off.

10 minutes: Kedwell sent Pritchard away who managed to get Cody McDonald into the area but Preston hack it away for a corner that came to nothing. Great cross from Joe Martin into the danger area and Kedwell diving in low headed it powerfully goalwards forcing a great save from Jamie Jones in the Preston goal.

11 minutes: Preston top goal scorer Joe Garner in like a flash and headed a cross onto the Gills crossbar with Nelson beaten. Good game this so far as you would expect from a top ten League One outfit like Preston who have only been beaten once this season. Garner has another go from distance but it sailed well wide of Nelson's post.

15 minutes: Free kick for Gills after foul on McDonald and that man Garner put the ball out for a corner.From the Hessenthaler corner a John Egan header was going for the top corner but a Preston defender headed away on the line.

GILLS 0 v PRESTON 0

[iblue]

GILLS 0 v PRESTON 0

Good open game this with Gills playing a great deal better than on Saturday at Rochdale. Preston's Garner looks a quality League One striker and is xausing difficulties in the Gills defensive unit. Coping well at the moment and at times Gills looking dangerous.

20 minutes: Danny Kedwell cleverly puts Brennan Dickenson in on a run but goalie Jones out quickly to stop the danger. McGlashan has been quiet and not really in the game - Gills need his pace to unsettle the Preston defence.

24 minutes: Preston corner after some sustained pressure. At last McGlashan went on a run quickly pass the Preston defender but he was crudely brought down by Preston's Buchanan and a free kick to Gills. From the Dickenson free kick Kedwell had a header that was just wide of the target.

25 minutes: Preston's Robinson had a good opening but was blocked by Hoyte and the loose ball fell to Garner who blasted over.

26 minutes: Great stop by Stuart Nelson as Humphrey latches onto a pass from Buchanan but the Gills goalie was off his line quickly to stop the goal attempt.

30 minutes: Promising game this and Gills still in with a great chance - GILLS 0 v PRESTON 0

[iblue]

GILLS 0 v PRESTON 0

31 minutes: Another great run by McGlashan after being sent away by Danny Kedwell and a corner results. Corner comes to nothing although not cleared with any conviction by Preston and Gills pressuring and working hard as a team.

33 minutes: Brennan Dickenson hits the Preston bar after receiving the ball from Prichard and running in toward the penalty area noticed Jones off his line - the ball hits the crossbar and a lucky escape for Preston.

36 minutes: Preston's Gallagher puts a low driven cross across the goal about five yards out with every Gills player beaten thankfully there was no Preston player to turn it into the Town End net.

40 minutes: Dickenson is causing problems with the Preston defence and if only Gills can get McGlashan going on the other wing then Danny Kedwell and Cody McDonald might have some decent ball to work with. Can't really complain though as this Gills performance is miles better than Saturday at Rochdale.

43 minutes: Good defensive work by Gills as the half draws to a close with Gavin Hoyte quick to close down an attack.

HALF TIME: GILLS 0 v PRESTON 0

[iblue]

SECOND HALF STARTS: GILLS 0 v PRESTON 0

Long break at half-time perhaps the referee was trying to get warm! Gills kicking toward the open Town End sprinkled with a few spectators. Preston first on the attack and had to be dealt with by John Egan and Joe Martin. Gallagher pushing forward trying to set Garner away and when the cross came in Legge heads away to clear. Buchanan effort from edge of area goes wide without troubling Nelson.

53 minutes: Preston looking far more composed this half - carefully looking for openings without rushing but the ball was hacked cleared by Legge upfield and Brennan Dickenson was sent away by Kedwell but although he ran some distance without being stopped he failed to finish on target and didn't test Jones in the Preston goal.

55 minutes: Free-kick for Preston tsaken by Gallaher and met by Garner who headed on target but tipped over for a corner by Nelson. Minute later stuart Nelson came for a cross and badly missed his punch leaving Joe Martin to dive and head clear off the line. Lucky escape for Gills but a decent break-a-way forced an e save from Jones from McDonald.

Good game this and Preston coming good as Robinson hits the post and disaster as Preston score with an unmarked header from Gallagher at the back post and past a helpless Nelson. Why do we always give free headers at the back post leaving our opponents too much time to pick out the cross?

GILLS 0 v PRESTON 1

[iblue]

GILLS 0 v PRESTON 1 (Paul Huntington)

63 minutes: Preston probably deserve the lead as they have certainly been putting on the pressure since the break. Another great effort from Preston and Browne smashes the ball into the side net when he perhaps should have put this game beyond Gills.

65 minutes: Preston on the attack again with Gills wilting under the pressure.Kilkenny puts a through ball to Humphrey who has space but fails to make the most of his chance.

If Gills do not make use of McGlashan then he is 'one trick pony' and his one off runs are wasted as part of an overall attacking plan. He often is not involved - if you have a fast runner why not use this facility more? Danny Kedwell looking a bit off the pace as he must be feeling it a bit because of his long lay-off. Gills attacking moves are getting few and far between with an equaliser looking unlikely.

70 minutes: McGlashan skips through - but Preston defenders stop his run. Taylor sends Bradley DAck on replacing the ineffectual Josh Pritchard.

Gills corner from Hessenthaler met by Leon Legge but sends it over the bar. Prestom make a sub - Reid on for Humphrey.

[iblue]

GILLS 0 v PRESTON 1 (Paul Huntington)

75 minutes: Preston have another great chance with Gallagher into the Gills area only for Stuart Nelson to save the day.

76 minutes: Kedwell heads down to Cody who very nearly gets the equaliser but Jones stops low down. Good chance for Gills and unlucky.

A tiring Danny Kedwell is replaced by Luke Norris and Antonio German replaces Jermaine McGlashan. It's now raining at Priestfield just to cheer the faithful and the Rainham End are tring to cheer and sing the Gills to an equaliser. Preston coping well and running down the time well in control and Gills looking a beaten side.

84 minutes: Preston smack the crossbar again through Gallagher and Gills are lucky not to be three or four adrift in this game. Preston now looking a class above.

86 minutes: Rare Gills attack and Joe Martin puts a hopeful cross into the Preston area but Hoyte couldn't get a firm enough effort away.

90 minutes: Another effort from Gallagher that went high over the bar. Four minutes of added time and desperate Gills looking for an opening as Preston calmly take control of the ball and run down the clock.

Final whistle and yet another loss and Gills in a terrible run of matches with just two points from their last eighteen available and with a certain relegation battle looming for remainder of season. Gills just out of the bottom four and although this was a better performance than Saturday Gills still look like relegation battlers.

FULL TIME: GILLS 0 v PRESTON 1

[muppet]

Thanks I-blue. Thought we were the better side in the first half and was unlucky not to come in at half time 1-0 up. Some good football with the passing quicker and pressing the opposition higher up the pitch. Unfortunately for us half time came and after the break we didn't hit the heights of the first half, although we did look dangerous on occasions.
Poor goal to concede and that knocked the stuffing out of us and just shows the confidence level is very low.
Overall a good performance against a promotion side, just need a bit of luck to get us three points and the confidence that will bring.
Well done the rainham end as I heard nothing but encouragement for the team, which on that performance deserved our backing.

[Deleted]

Totally agree muppet. Only worry was the attendance and the way heads went down after the goal.
Hoyte much better at right back, Dickenson had his best game for the club.
Personally though, I'd now dip into the loan market for an experienced player in midfield. We are short of a general

[swingfieldgill]

After the debacle in the last home game I was undecided as to whether it was worth making the journey from Folkestone on such a lousy evening. I am truly glad that I did. It was a very good game in the bad weather conditions and Gills gave a very good account of themselves and deserved a point.
Egan was exceptional and for once the sponsors got the MOM right but I was also very pleased by Dickinson who had his best game since joining.
I hope there are no injuries so that the same eleven (with possibly Bywater back in goal) can start on Saturday.
I shall be looking forward to another good display then.

[bert]

Oct 22, 2014 7:44:04 GMT 1 hessisgod said:

Totally agree muppet. Only worry was the attendance and the way heads went down after the goal.
Hoyte much better at right back, Dickenson had his best game for the club.
Personally though, I'd now dip into the loan market for an experienced player in midfield. We are short of a general

I don't know about a General but I reckon that Sergeant Bilko would make a better job of organising the team than the present management. For example, how can any manager worth his salt stand and watch the keeper hoof the ball miles up in the air and into a strong wind for the whole of the second half without doing something about it? Yes we probably do need a new loan player or two, but not with this Manager.

There were several threads on this and other boards before the season even started saying that the pre season training had not been demanding enough, we are now seeing the proof of that concern, a long and growing injury list.

[statotheblue]

Other pluses last night.

The passing of Josh Pritchard it was the best I had seen of him.

Preston looked a very good side.

We only lost by a single goal last years side would have been taken apart.

Agree about Dickenson and Hoyte both had good games.

[muppet]

Nice to see some positive posts and deserved I think. Agree Hess now possibly the time to dip our toes in the transfer market for some experience.

[gillsjan]

So now Stuart Nelson is rubbish.....this is the man that the bulk of Gills supporters voted as Player of the Yera 2013/14

[bert]

Oct 22, 2014 15:22:23 GMT 1 gillsjan said:

So now Stuart Nelson is rubbish.....this is the man that the bulk of Gills supporters voted as Player of the Yera 2013/14

Who says that Nelson is rubbish? If you are referring to my post I certainly didn't say he was rubbish. I have no doubt that he was hoofing as per instruction from our clueless couple of chumps.

[gillsjan]

Ah Bert was that what you meant read it differently