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Sturminster Marshall 0 Gillingham Town 3
Stur Line-up:
1.Maitland, 2.Mole, 3.Bird, 4.McNally, 5.Revell, 6.MacLeod,
7.Sweetland, 8.Humphrey, 9.Johnson, 10.Gage, 11.Hounsell.
Substitutes:
12.Pathak (for Gage 75), 14.Simmons (for Mole 80), 15.Henson (for
MacLeod
75)
Goals:
Gillingham: Loic Herouard 2, Ian Williamson
Star man:
Stuart
Revell
Stur welcomed back 5 players into the first team squad and went
into this game with high hopes of an upset. However, individual errors proved
costly as Gillingham
recorded their 9th win from their last 10 games.
The opening 10 minutes were tight and scrappy with neither side
taking control nor creating any clear chances.
Gillingham
broke the deadlock after 20 minutes. A move down the right saw the ball drop to
the ever dangerous Herouard, 25 yards from goal. The Frenchman’s firmly struck
shot took a wicked deflection which took the ball past Maitland. 1-0.
As Stur went in search of a quick reply,
Gillingham counter attacked with pace to create a couple of clear chances that
should have extended their lead.
Stur continued to probe and came into the game in the last 15
minutes of the half. Humphrey and Johnson both had half chances that they may
have converted on another day. Disappointedly the final ball from both open
play and dead ball situations was not good enough from the men in green and the
Gillingham
keeper was rarely tested.
Half time 1-0.
Stur came out fighting in the second half and a slight change to
the formation looked to be a good move from Bowmer.
Then the killer blow. After intercepting a dangerous
Gillingham cross, Maitland’s quick throw reached a Stur man at an awkward height
and the ball bounced loose. Gillingham
were first to react and a neat the ball was played behind the Stur backline.
Herouard ran
onto the ball from deep and the Frenchman made no mistake chipping the on
rushing Maitland to make the score 2-0.
This seemed to take the wind from the Stur sails and heads started
to drop as Gillingham
continued to press in search of more goals.
Gillingham
extended their lead through Williamson after 70. The winger chased a ball over
the top, nipping in between tackles from Bird and Maitland, to flick the ball
into the unguarded net. And it was not long before Maitland was called into
action again, saving well from Williamson to deny the winger his second.
In search of goals, Bowmer brought on
Pathak and Henson in a double attacking substitution and then slightly
later Tom Simmons was introduced. All of the new players quickly got into the
game, but were unable to inspire Stur who looked beaten.
Stur must improve quickly.
Final score 3-0.
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