[themaclad]

FULL-TIME: Accrington Stanley 1-2 Gillingham

Accrington Stanley: Isherwood, Rodgers, Hamilton (O’Sullivan 70’), Sykes, Pell (Longelo 88’), Bishop, McConville, Nottingham, Coyle, Clark, Adedoyin (Pritchard 70’)

Unused Substitutes: Hood, Rich-Baghuelou, Butcher, Conneely

Gillingham: Chapman, Jackson, Tucker, Ehmer, Masterson, Tutonda, O’Keefe (Phillips 60’), Lee, Thompson, Kelman (Reeves 89’), Oliver

Unused Substitutes: Dahlberg, Maghoma, Akehurst, Chambers, Dickson-Peters

Referee: Scott Oldham

Attendance: 2764 (253 Gills fans)



Back in the day both my parents supported Stanley that is until 1962 when the lovely Bob Lord the Chairman of Burnleh refused to buy a player from Stanley the proceeds would have kept them going, so they folded mid season.
They reformed in about 1968 and have over the years worked themselves back to mid table safety his season, the old ground at Peel Park is still there, pitch only stands long since disappeared they now reside at the Crown ground aka as the Wham Stadium although do not know what connection George Michael ever had with Stanley

Been there a few times do remember a Conference match with Shrewsbury were 20 minutes before the kick off the manager John Coleman ambled up to the hot food place behind the goal and got himself pie, chips and peas.
Coley still manager these days although has been at other clubs but Stanley and him are made for each other.
Visitors Gillingham or Gillinam as many presenters call them these days are in a relegation battle, have a new manager in Neil Harris and with results picking up they stand a good chance of staying up.
Other the years the Gills have ruined many a Saturday at Deepdale not by results but by the football they played mainly under Tony Pulis, they had a player called Matt Lawrence think he ended in journalism, he was a one touch footballer, everything was hoofed with his first touch.
A £10 to get in bargain second row of main stand near the corner flag. The first few minutes of play were blocked out by fans coming out of the bar although did see a Bishop effort which was well saved by Chapman. The signs were promising after last weeks dud at Fleetwood but from that moment on the half descended into a long throw battle although the Gills looked dangerous whenever they counter attacked
Again my view of the game was impeded by a plethora of substitutes doing minimal warm ups in front of me but the first half was to say poor at best.

More wanderings to and from at the start of the second and again Stanley made a good start overhead kick from Bishop which was tipped over by Chapman, Stanley also hit the bar. All the pressure towards the Gills goal only looked a moment of time until Stanley scored but momentum was lost due to a series of fouls and stoppages. The Gills started to look more dangerous and took the lead just after the hour, young keeper Isherwood made a decent save the but the second phase of play sent the ball to the back post and Kelman nooded home.
The 253 Gills supporters in ecstacy even more so, ten mnutes later when they went two up, hate to say this keeper error, went for a ball in no mans land Oliver got greater height with his jump and nodded home
People started to drift away and as seven minutes of added time were shown Stanley got a penalty Rodgers brought down by Tucker, Bishop sent the keeper the wrong way. A frenetic period of play followed several Stanley corners but no more goalss. Big win for the Gills puts them four points clear of the drop zone, the Sunderland boss Alex Neil who was there will have his plans in place as they have the Gills to play in the run in

[Lord Snooty]

A good pic for the old Spot The Ball competition there.

[themaclad]

A good pic for the old Spot The Ball competition there.

Was thinking that myself looks like an old fashioned Roman orgy