Gills grab vital win as Shrimpers sink to new low

Last updated : 06 April 2010 By exiledessexboy
A miserable peformance by the Blues, especially in the second half, and one that holds out little hope of escaping the mess they find themselves in, but Saturday is another game, Leeds at Elland Road by the way!

Macca was out injured, thanks for warning us guys, Francis Laurent took his place, and Sankofa came in at right back, pushing Simon Francis into midfield.

Steve Mildenhall made some great saves, Granty worked bloody hard.

You want to know more, fair enough.

Danny Jackman went close for the Gills with a 25 yard free-kick after only three minutes.

Simon Francis though nearly broke the deadlock when one of those throws by Johnny Herd found the right back now midfielder loitering with intent, but he found the home shot stopper Alan Julien equal to his effort.

The ball then went up and down with little of great effect happening, both sides now in the bottom four and obviously lacking in confidence.

Though Steve Mildenhall made a blinding save from from the busy Renee Howe when it looked as if he must score.

The bets at half-time were on a goalless draw al la Yeovil Saturday.

However, returned from suspension top scorer Dennis Oli had other ideas and put the Kent based side ahead only two minutes into the second period.

Jean-Francois Christophe lost possession in his own penalty area to Howe, who forced a good save from Mildy but Oli drilled the rebound home.

And that was that, resistance was futile.

There was one comical moment when on the hour former Canvey Island midfielder Adam Miller hit the side netting when it was easier to score, and most of the mome crowd, and some in the open away end, thought he had!

Sadly the laughs didn't last for long. 

Howe himself grabbed the second in the 74th minute when Simeon Jackman ran on to a long ball over the top of a defence that had gone AWOL after going up front for a Johnny throw, he squared the ball perfectly for the oncoming Howe who finished it off well.

Andy Barcham wrapped the whole sorry show up for the Shrimpers when he shot home from 10 yards to hand the Essex boys their eighth straight away defeat and leave them facing relegation, Easter is over lads.

Southend player markings: Mildenhall - 7, Sankofa - 6, Baldwin - 6, Barrett - 6, Herd - 6, Grant - 7, Christophe - 5 (O'Keefe 74 - 6), Laurent - 5 (Crawford 77 - 6), Spencer - 6 (Paterson 65 - 6), Vernon - 5.

Coca-Cola League One, Monday, 5th April 2010 @ 15:00; KRBS Priestfield Stadium
Click for Gillingham squad list
Oli 47
Howe 74
Barcham 85
Click for Southend United squad list
Starting Line-ups
23Julian
3Nutter
6Richards
18Jackman
31Dennehy
2Fuller
14Miller
26Weston (Maher 89)
11Barcham
21Oli (Jackson 70)
29Howe (Lewis 89)
Substitutes
1Royce
4Lewis (Howe 89)
7Maher (Weston 89)
8Bentley
10Jackson (Oli 70)
15Dickson
16Gowling
15Goal Attempts10
8On Target6
7Off Target4
0Hit Woodwork0
2Offsides4
5Corners7
12Fouls13
Starting Line-ups
1Mildenhall
2Francis
5Baldwin
6Barrett
15Sankofa
18Herd
4Christophe (O'Keefe 74)
7Grant
17Vernon
26Laurent (Crawford 77)
28Spencer (Paterson 65)
Substitutes
3Malone
9Paterson (Spencer 65)
20M'Voto
22O'Keefe (Christophe 74)
30Crawford (Laurent 77)
36Bentley
Referee
G Scott, Oxfordshire - 7
Attendance
7657
Gillingham Cards
Weston53unsporting behaviour
Barcham79unsporting behaviour
Jackman82unsporting behaviour
Southend Utd. Cards
Laurent63unsporting behaviour
Baldwin90unsporting behaviour