2020/21 Pre-season friendlies

[Garawa]

Colchester United 0-2 Gillingham

O'Keefe and Ogilvie scored the first goals since the season prematurely ended in mid-March. Roberts hits the post from a free kick.

Gills first half XI: Bonham, Jackson, Tucker, Medley, Ogilvie, O'Keefe, Willock, Mellis, Coyle, Hanlan, Oliver.
Gills second half XI: Bonham (Walsh), Jackson (Baker 81), Tucker, Medley (Nelson 89), Ogilvie, O’Keefe (Medhurst 81), Woods, MacDonald, Graham, Hanlan (Bancroft 72), Akinde 46.

[Garawa]

Watford 1-3 Gillingham

A goal for Roberts after just 2 minutes gave the Gills the lead before Watford equalised. Goals from Willock and Akinde then gave the Gills a 3-1 lead at the break. Mellis came close to making it 4 but the young Gills side at the end of the match put their bodies on the line to stop Watford scoring again.

Gills first half XI: Bonham, Jackson, Tucker, Medley, Ogilvie, Macdonald, Willock, Dempsey, Graham, Hanlan, Akinde.
Gills second half XI: Bonham (Walsh), Baker, Tucker (Medhurst), Mellis, Ogilvie, O'Keefe, Willock (Lintott), Woods, Graham (Bancroft), Coyle, Akinde (Baker-Moran).

[Garawa]

Reading 2-1 Gillingham

Reading are fielding a very strong side in their first preseason game which is being played as 3 x half hour matches. Reading take the lead on 21 minutes from a header direct from a corner. Within a minute, a rash challenge on the edge of the centre circle saw the Reading attacker jump the tackle and run at Bonham, slotting underneath the Gills keeper for number 2. The first third ends 2-0 to the hosts.
On 33 minutes (in the second third) a blistering drive of a free kick was powerfully palmed over the bar to stop Reading scoring a third. Akinde is fouled in the box and converts the penalty on the 51st minute. The second third ends with the score at 1-2.
The Gills go with an attacking line-up in the final third adding Graham and Oliver to the side with Hanlan and Akinde. Graham makes a big impact causing the Reading right a lot of problems whilst also sliding in with challenges in the left back position. It is Reading with the clearest shot which requires a point blank save from Bonham. 81 minutes and the Gills have their best chance of the match. A shot by Ogilvie was paried by the keeper but Oliver fired the follow up wide across the face of goal. The game ends 1-2.

Gills first third XI: Bonham, Jackson, Medley, McKenzie, Ogilvie, O'Keefe, Mellis, Dempsey, MacDonald, Hanlan, Akinde.
Gills second third XI: Bonham, Jackson, Medley, McKenzie, Ogilvie, O'Keefe, Mellis, Dempsey, MacDonald, Hanlan, Akinde.
Gills second third XI: Bonham, Jackson, Tucker, Medley, Ogilvie, O'Keefe, Dempsey, Graham, Oliver, Hanlan (Woods) Akinde.

[Garawa]

Gillingham 0-0 Cambridge United

Gills start 3 at the back with Jackson and Ogilvie as wingbacks. An even first third to the match in very strong winds saw little chances but it was Cambridge on 22 minutes which went closest, somehow putting the ball wide. A couple of minutes later a good free kick was held comfortably by Bonham. On 37 minutes, a corner was headed across the goal before another header needed Bonham to tip it over the bar by millimetres and a couple of minutes later drills a shot right to left narrowly missing the far post. Gills go closest; new-boy Coyle has the ball in the net at the Town end but is given offside. Half-time 0-0.
Cambridge start the second half how they finished the first winning a series of corners. The wind is now very strong and the corner flag is at a 45 degree angle. Cambridge threaten a couple of times more but the game ends 0-0.

Gills first half XI: Bonham, Tucker, Medley, McKenzie, Jackson, Ogilvie, Willock, Dempsey, Graham, Coyle, Oliver.
Gills second half XI: Bonham, Tucker, Medley, McKenzie, Jackson, O'Keefe, Willock (Mellis), Dempsey (Woods), Graham (MacDonald), Coyle (Hanlan), Oliver (Akinde).

[sotongill]

Gillingham 0-0 Colchester United

Definitely Cambridge Gary , not Colchester .

Glad i was able to watch this via You_Tube , but could have done with more than 55mins notice , and the game kicking off two minutes early as 12.58 .

Around 1850 watching at the peak and , whilst not all were Gills or Cambridge fans , surprised that this is a potential money making route not being exploited

[Garawa]

I agree. Hopefully the iFollow will be a good earner but I hope not too much as could this mean fans in the ground become less desirable? I was going to promote it but little point as most wouldn't have seen it.

As for Colchester, no idea why I put that when I wrote Cambridge on everything else. I'll edit that now.

[sotongill]

Well . the good news from my perspective is that all EFL games plus round one of the Carabao cup are available to stream at £10 a go , until fans are allowed back in - looks as if this will be free to season ticket holders , but not the cup game .

I'd love it if the club could offer a home and away season ticket via Ifollow - understand the concerns about attendances , but with a five hour round trip to a home game , i rarely go , so prefer to live stream

[Garawa]

The £10 price is a bit annoying though. A season ticket works out at under £15 a game so each match price is only a few pounds less. Along with many others, I haven't had the opportunity to purchase a ticket yet so the free option won't apply for many. Its all very confusing!

[gillsfan1066]

It's Gillingham FC of course it's complicated and confusing. Scally better hope the Gills get off to a good start because if they don't I could see a lot of people NOT bothering to go to games after the stadium opens.

[sotongill]

The £10 price is a bit annoying though. A season ticket works out at under £15 a game so each match price is only a few pounds less. Along with many others, I haven't had the opportunity to purchase a ticket yet so the free option won't apply for many. Its all very confusing!

Understood Gary . Just an option that works very well for me . Happy to pay a tenner , or indeed more , to watch the game from the comfort of the front room with a couple of beers .

[Garawa]

That's actually a good point Gillsfan. Many season tickets are purchased during pre-season when we are signing interesting players and hitting Faversham 9-0. Then the realities of a league campaign kick in. What if we don't get back into grounds until November? What if we haven't won a game at that point? How many people will think about not bothering when the weather is getting cold and wet and the side isn't performing? That has to hit numbers hard surely?

I don't think I will get to many games. Tuesday night games will be out for me so I can already see 8 of the 23 matches I won't get to. I'm torn. I want to get a ST if they ever go on sale but likewise I'd like to watch away matches and a £10 pass for each game (not sure away games are included in this) whacks the price up a fair chunk. My house is chaotic so I'd miss most of the match from the screaming. I like the sanctuary of Priestfield!

[sotongill]

I want to get a ST if they ever go on sale but likewise I'd like to watch away matches and a £10 pass for each game (not sure away games are included in this) whacks the price up a fair chunk. My house is chaotic so I'd miss most of the match from the screaming. I like the sanctuary of Priestfield!

Watching away games for a tenner are also included . This has been in place for two years for evening games , with quality improving all the time , but not for Saturday afternoon .

And it sounds like you need a shed in the garden

[Garawa]

Ooohh that sounds good! I wasn't sure whether the away games would be included in the Saturday afternoon offer. That makes it £40 a month. Mmmm

[Garawa]

Leyton Orient 1-0 Gillingham

The Gills lose to a last minute winner. Orient start with Conor Wilkinson, Josh Wright and Ouss Cisse in their XI.

Gills first half XI: Bonham, Tucker, Medley, McKenzie, Jackson, Ogilvie, Dempsey, Willock, Graham, Coyle, Oliver.
Gills second half XI: Bonham, Tucker, Medley, McKenzie, Jackson, O'Keefe, Dempsey (Woods), Willock (Mellis), Graham (MacDonald), Coyle (Hanlan), Oliver (Akinde).

[gillsfan1066]

First of all the fact that a couple of thousand home fans can't be in the stands 6 feet apart with masks on is ridiculous. Secondly I have this gut feeling were going to lose more than a handful of fans if this goes on into the late fall, and by Christmas there is going to be more than a few clubs going into administration, I hope were not one of them.