Another convergence game and (once again) using Charlie''s work links to London to have a hotel there for the night and train out and back to Gillingham. I travelled down from Whitchurch to meet here there and had already changed into a short-sleeved shirt at Whitchurch station: it was blisteringly hot. And even hotter in London (showing 33C). had a couple of beers with Charlie''s work peers before heading off on the 50 minutes direct train to Gillingham. Short amble to the ground and in our seat with a pie and burger (only one each) ready for kick off.
Gillingham were second best in every department first half but the weather was perfect and a group of 5 old boys behind us were very amusing. When one of the MK players went down one of the guys shouted have you got a stone in your shoe?! Very droll.
Second half was completely different when Gills brought on a big rough tough old school centre forward who trundled about causing mayhem. And the rest of the team caught on and upped intensity and brutality. The equaliser looked nailed on and did eventually come. Then in the dying minutes Gills hit the bar. So close to a win but no - straight to penalties.
Sadly it had an air of inevitability about it and sure enough MK won. But it had been a real contest from half time and not to forget MK are a division higher than Gillingham.
We jumped an earlier train back to Victoria and were in the hotel minutes after and asleep minutes after that. Another great night out and closing in now on the Holy Grail.
Gillingham FIRST TIME
Saturday 19th January 2019
League One
versus Walsall
score 0-3
attendance 3,975
A very cold day. Forecast to be absolutely bitter but - in the end - it wasn''t that bad thanks to lack of wind. I didn''t even need my gloves at the game.
It was a very pleasant journey both down and back up but the football was awful. Genuinely Gillingham were lucky to get nil. They were diabolical. Outplayed at the back, out-thought in the middle and out-muscled up front. Dire.
The stadium is strange in that it looks like it’s been newly built to look old. And one end is what looks like a temporary stand. It wasn''t used though.
I was sitting next to a (50-something) die-hard Gill who, for the whole 90-plus minutes, regaled me with the details of just about every Gill goal scored and conceded (home and away) since about 1965. But it could have been worse. And at least he took my mind off the putrid rubbish being played out on the pitch.
I still had a good day though. And home by 21:30. Can''t be bad.
michael 87
charlottewilkins 86
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