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Post by davef on Dec 29, 2022 21:54:54 GMT
Got to disagree with you there. Better team won.
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Post by toothman on Dec 29, 2022 22:09:08 GMT
Got to disagree with you there. Better team won. I have to agree with Oohaah - we were disappointing in the final third and lacking quality. We only became more creative after Gillingham scored . Gillingham created the better chances and their goal capitalised on a mistake by Pierre was a quality piece of individual skill
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Post by davep on Dec 29, 2022 22:20:42 GMT
I'm sure that with Ben having been out for so long, it was always the intention to give him about 75 minutes and Aaron the last 15 minutes - but we are so much better at the back when Ben is there (and we conceded almost immediately after he was substituted).
Not only did we win tonight but all the teams below us at the start of play who played tonight lost -so time to start looking up the table rather than down. Should we manage to beat an in form Wimbledon, we would (remarkably) be within a couple of points of the play offs.
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Post by sufc1898 on Dec 29, 2022 22:38:36 GMT
2 good things from tonight.
Whether we deserved it or not, it was great to score a last minute winner, when so many times this season, we have conceded late on.
Secondly, to the stewards who acted swiftly with an idiot who ran onto the pitch after the winner. The police took him away.
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Post by toothman on Dec 29, 2022 22:49:18 GMT
Only 4 teams can win a clean sweep of festive results. Carlisle Tranmere Stockport and Sutton . If you include the win over Exeter last New Year we have a 100% festive success rate so far in the EFL.
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Post by Amber Aleman on Dec 29, 2022 23:25:28 GMT
For once we actually scored a winner in stoppage time rather than conceding one. 😄 Whatever the merits of the victory, this was recompense for the result at Priestfield in October. And captain Craig's sweet shot at the death erases the embarrassment of us accounting for two of the seven goals that the Gills have managed in 22 league games.
This was another attritional match, with the referee required to stop play a number of times following collisions between players. Because of injuries (neither Milsom nor Wilson was in the squad today, and Hart went off after a clash of heads with Kizzi), by half-time we had three players out of their normal positions. But one of those was not Joe, reverting to right back as Ben Goodliffe started. Using both Ben and Aaron Pierre (one coming on for the other) after their long lay-offs was always going to be a risk, but one can understand why Matt took the gamble. In the end, Aaron's mistake was not too costly.
We're still 15th, but there's now a nice five-point gap between us and Grimsby in 16th. And we're 17 points clear of Rochdale in 23rd place. Gillingham remain rooted to the foot of the table, and will be hoping that their new American owners have a golden spade to dig them out of trouble.
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kpinwp
1st team Player
Posts: 1,245
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Post by kpinwp on Dec 29, 2022 23:44:06 GMT
Not sure whether to be relieved, embarrassed, pleased or philosophical about that. Probably all four. It was bloody great to get the last minute winner for once, though. Once we'd turned it on.
Great sequence of results, so far, over the festive period. Which is what matters.
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Post by os on Dec 30, 2022 0:04:27 GMT
I thought for 82 mins both sides were awful in the final 3rd, U's had most of the ball but didn't look like creating anything. Gills looked a threat on the break, but had little upfront to make the most of their opportunities.
I think we deserved the win on that last 10mins, when I saw a glimsp of the old Sutton, driving at the Gills and putting quality balls into the box which we had lacked all evening. Great finish by Eastie, we need to take more shots from distance.
Great to see last years best lg2 defender back in action too.
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Post by garethl on Dec 30, 2022 0:13:19 GMT
Eastmond was basically the difference in this one. A fantastic cross to create the first and a wonderful finish for the 2nd. Feels great scoring a last gasp winner - been a while since it was us. Those are the breaks when at the bottom! I think Gillingham will be ok once they’ve added a couple on decent money in January, they’ve got the makings of a reasonable side. Thought we played a dangerous game holding it at 1-0 and not really going after additional daylight. That said the response to the equaliser was instant and good, both the young strikers had a positive impact. Gutted to be missing Wimbledon but we can go into that without much pressure - hopefully we can go after it against a side also on a good run of results. Massive positive getting 70 odd out of Goodliffe and he will be better for that. Will be nice if Wilson makes Sunday.
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kpinwp
1st team Player
Posts: 1,245
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Post by kpinwp on Dec 30, 2022 1:58:25 GMT
Eastmond was basically the difference in this one. A fantastic cross to create the first and a wonderful finish for the 2nd. Feels great scoring a last gasp winner - been a while since it was us. Those are the breaks when at the bottom! I think Gillingham will be ok once they’ve added a couple on decent money in January, they’ve got the makings of a reasonable side. Thought we played a dangerous game holding it at 1-0 and not really going after additional daylight. That said the response to the equaliser was instant and good, both the young strikers had a positive impact. Gutted to be missing Wimbledon but we can go into that without much pressure - hopefully we can go after it against a side also on a good run of results. Massive positive getting 70 odd out of Goodliffe and he will be better for that. Will be nice if Wilson makes Sunday. Seconded. Eastmond had a very good game. A very canny player.
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Post by davep on Dec 30, 2022 1:59:59 GMT
Agree with Garethl that Easty was the difference between the two sides today.
A bit harsh to attribute the Gilliingham goal to a 'mistake' by Aaron - it was a great bit of skill by Robbie Mckenzie.
If I had to pick two teams for the drop right now it would be Crawley and Rochdale.
Also, does anyone know why we only named 6 substitutes last night - and this did not include Lewis Ward, Charley Kendall or Kwame Thomas?
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Post by halftimet on Dec 30, 2022 7:56:46 GMT
Ward I understand was unwell. Kendall and Thomas I assume both got bikes for Christmas.
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Post by baboonfish on Dec 30, 2022 10:47:49 GMT
Ward I understand was unwell. Kendall and Thomas I assume both got bikes for Christmas. 😂😂😂
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Post by baboonfish on Dec 30, 2022 11:00:49 GMT
Very low quality game which wouldnt have looked out of place in the isthmian league. Gillingham were better than us for 80 mins and I didn't begrudge them their goal one bit, although their lack of quality in the final third was every bit as bad as their goal total suggested. we also looked like we thought it was job done at 1 0, which was disappointing.
Then, for the last 10 min we finally decided to turn up and got at them down the wings, where they had looked vulnerable all night. Fair play to the lads for turning it on when it mattered, must have felt great to be the team winning in injury time for once.
Gotta say I didn't like our shape at all with Harry out wide. Against a team with obvious weakness on the flanks we should have gone 4 3 3 when hart went off. Also, Josh up front is an utter waste of time. He simply does not have the attributes. Tope is a far better choice. Josh looked like the player we saw glimpses of earlier in the season when switched out left, which makes me wonder if that's his best position by some distance. I'd like to see him and will swap it around sometimes or will in a central position in a 433 and Josh left.
I also think Pierre looked utterly out of shape and should not have played. Either Ben g is fit to play or not, I don't believe in subbing CBs unless injured or out of sight. We got away with it but if we don't raise our game against an in form AFC W it's going to be a rather disappointing start to 2023. They will be far less forgiving than a toothless gills side.
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Post by Andy K on Dec 30, 2022 11:03:06 GMT
The number of chances were creating has steadily increased since the return of Beautyman and Smith. Although we've mostly been playing what could be considered weaker sides in the division, it shows. It was never going to be a pretty game, and although over 25% of league goals Gillingham have scored this season have been against us, a win is a win. Omar is really on form at the moment, and of course Easty was the key man. A top performance from a top player.
We're now up to 4th in the form table and obviously we're on an upward turn. Last night we had that real fighting spirit that we showed so often last season but was lacking earlier this season. And we were rewarded in kind.
With the caveat of not knowing if they are injured, Thomas hasn't featured in the squad since the Papa Johns game at Plough Lane over a month ago and hasn't played over 20 mins in a league game since we lost at home to Tranmere on 8th Oct. Which was the same match Kendall last played over 20mins. I wouldn't be surprised if we don't see them again. Both of those players are currently on our main squad list. Added to that, with Matt liking his usual "sub the strikers after 70min" strategy, playing someone signed as a winger as a striker for the majority of the game would also show the faith Matt has in those two players (again if they are both not injured).
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