Gillingham (H) League One, Oct 31st, 3pm

[Andy_Petterson]

That really is, promotion winning stuff.

We were awful for 30 minutes, gifting them a goal and gifting Bradley Dack the chance to dive. At this poiint i feared a 4-0 beating.

But the lads grabbed the game, by the gonads, and got back in it with a long range effort. You saw Giligham collapse, and we went for them from this point. You didnt really want half time to come.

We were superb second half and we just couldnt get the ball in the net, then we had to hold on for 20 mins as they attacked us. I thought it was petering out to a 0-0. However these days we have players that can win games, and dont want to settle for draws. Step up Rico Henry, who produces some of the greatest footwork ive seen from a Walsall player, the boy is going places.

When the ball bobbled up into the air everyone was thinking "just hit it", Demetriou did, and the rest is history.

fudge me we might just be good enough to get promoted......

Everyone was MOTM today. It was a real team effort. We must re sign George Evans, he is a classy player.

The ref was Gillinghams.

Bradley Dack deserves nothing but pain, Karma is a bitch, and shows why you shouldnt give it the big un infront of the home fans. Also, he looks homeless.

Jordan Cook is still useless.

UPTHESADDLERS

I know what you are saying but However bad the ref was, I don't think he would have cancelled the 4 goal that had already been scored.

[Soton Saddler]

That really is, promotion winning stuff.

We were awful for 30 minutes, gifting them a goal and gifting Bradley Dack the chance to dive. At this poiint i feared a 4-0 beating.

But the lads grabbed the game, by the gonads, and got back in it with a long range effort. You saw Giligham collapse, and we went for them from this point. You didnt really want half time to come.

We were superb second half and we just couldnt get the ball in the net, then we had to hold on for 20 mins as they attacked us. I thought it was petering out to a 0-0. However these days we have players that can win games, and dont want to settle for draws. Step up Rico Henry, who produces some of the greatest footwork ive seen from a Walsall player, the boy is going places.

When the ball bobbled up into the air everyone was thinking "just hit it", Demetriou did, and the rest is history.

fudge me we might just be good enough to get promoted......

Everyone was MOTM today. It was a real team effort. We must re sign George Evans, he is a classy player.

The ref was Gillinghams.

Bradley Dack deserves nothing but pain, Karma is a bitch, and shows why you shouldnt give it the big un infront of the home fans. Also, he looks homeless.

Jordan Cook is still useless.

UPTHESADDLERS

I know what you are saying but However bad the ref was, I don't think he would have cancelled the 4 goal that had already been scored.

I think he means a second half 0 - 0.

[chunkster]

well what a cracker that was :P :P :P . but that ref has got to be one of the most biased blind gits i have ever seen :( ,he contrived to get us beat. he gave everything to them while turning his back on blatant fouls on richo and jason :evil: and the tackle on sawyers was from behind, and should have been a red. i also thought that downing had a mare. he gave the ball away far to often in the first half.then instead of heading the first ball away or to the keeper. he let it bounce in the box allowing dack to get the ball and the penalty :x . i get very jittery when he has the ball. he is far to inconsistent for my liking. other than that what a fightback. pity the FA cup has to get in the way next week. i can't wait for the next league game :D

[Darth Vader]

fudge class when our winner hit the net. mental celebrations

[tinned]

Great heart and balls this team show. Superb.

The ref must've been bought. Useless biased twerp. We counted at least 3 times first half where he spoke to Dack and patted him on the backside. Is he their full time ref or something?

[Walsallone]

I must admit I feared the worse when I saw the team which had been selected and my fears were enhanced when we went 2-0. Not because I don't rate the players but because the balance seemed wrong. Too many attacking players and not enough tacklers BUT as our performance for the last 60 minutes showed if you can play fast,aggressive football you can overcome the rough house teams. Well done Dean and the team to other points:
Phil a great report especially on the referee...I suggest you send it to the Football League. We were lucky to escape serious injury today.
Secondly after such a fantastic performance why does someone come on here and make critical comments on Cook. He was a late substitute and did ok.

[tinned]

I'm sorry. Cook came on (to ensure the club complied with its contractual obligations) and proceeded to do eff all .... as is usual. At least he kept out of the way.

[BathSaddler]

I'm sorry. Cook came on (to ensure the club complied with its contractual obligations) and proceeded to do eff all .... as is usual. At least he kept out of the way.

:lol: sad but true

[Walsallone]

TINNED...you have proved my point......... on a match thread after one of the best wins in decades you choose to deride one of our players . Odd!!

[Gripper]

I'm sorry. Cook came on (to ensure the club complied with its contractual obligations) and proceeded to do eff all .... as is usual. At least he kept out of the way.

:lol: sad but true

You're doing him a disservice here chaps, he once again provided an assist (By cocking up his chance, same as Vs. Chesterfield).

[reedswood sadler]

What a game and what a well deserved win overcoming one of the worst refs I have seen for many a season and we have had a few bad ones.
Gillingham went 2-0 being the better side at time helped by some poor defending (defence stilled seemed to be in shock from last week) I thought game over, not with this team started to attack got goals and game changed although gills had chances could only see one winner the saddlers.
Several candidates for MOM Richo, Sawyers Morris Evans.
One of best moments of match for me little Richo in the middle of 3 6foot gillingham players being kicked and pushed coming away with ball I'm sure he crawled through legs.
As along suffering saddler only another 18 points for safety. UTS

[Andy W Taylor]

What more can you ask for than what we saw today? A real cracker of a game, dodgy decisions, guts and commitment shown by the lads to stage the comeback, and the joy of stuffing the southerners' taunts back down their throats - top of the league did you say? Think again men of Kent! :mrgreen:

I was already choking with emotion as the winner went in and couldn't believe it when I looked over to the family stand.
An extra 1300 in there - and the whole of it was rocking even more than the other 3 sides when the ball hit the net. Well done the club for continuing with the cheap school tickets and let's hope that we hooked a few today that will drag their parents and mates along to other games.

On the negative side, the OAP stand looked a bit sparse today ...

[Soton Saddler]

http://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sp ... gillingham

UP THE SADDLERS!!! T.O.T.L

[kshammer]

What a game. This was the match that showed they are the real deal this season.

First the negatives. I thought we defended terribly for 20-25 minutes at the start as both centre halves were attrocious - why, I have no idea. O'Connor seemed to be completely out of position for the first and Downing just fudge up big time for the second regardless of whether Dack pushed him. Neither seemed to complete a pass either and seemed to want to play with more time than they had against a hard working Gillingham forward line.

The next negative was the ref who is easily the worst i've seen for many a year. Yes Gillingham were physical - at times overly so - but they continued to dish it out because the ref let them. The tackle on Sawyers was a disgrace and was the simplest red you'll ever see. Taken out from behind, at pace, nowhere near the ball, with no control and could have done serious damage. Rico has been kicked and pulled all afternoon but barely won a decision - ironically the first one he did give wasn't even a foul - and for a young player to be allowed to be treated like that was awful. When their right back had a go at Lalko, the ref ran over and went straight for our man! It happened all afternoon and I couldn't believe it when their players remonstrated with the ref at the end :lol: .

Despite giving them 2 cack goals, and them having a 12th man, this team showed what it is about with a superb comeback. I've said for ages we need some physicality in the team and while we've not added cloggers, we now have players who will scrap and fight for everything. The likes of Demetriou, Henry, Bradshaw and Lalko are not the biggest but they never know when they're beaten and add to that Sawyers who is tracking back more than ever and we have a real hard working unit.

Of the players, I thought Evans was MOTM and I hope we do everything we can to keep him longer. With more time and fitness he could be a monster at this level. Sawyers was his usual classy self, Rico - excellent, Morris - excellent (deserves to start) and Demetriou did what he always does - really pleased he got the winner

Gillingham were cynical but were one of the better sides i've seen down here this year. Dack was a pain but let's be honest here, he is quality. I did feel like if we'd have stopped him then you stop them but it is easier said than done. Nice to see (and hear) a good crowd again and lets hope they continue to come as this team deserves all the support it can get.

I believe.

[Sadsfan]

TINNED...you have proved my point......... on a match thread after one of the best wins in decades you choose to deride one of our players . Odd!!

Tinned is right, Cook is absolute gash and he should do the decent thing when Smith is going to bring him on and refuse to play. Waste of time and money.

[philthesaddler]

Yep, as I thought, sly but clear shove on Downing just as he was about to head it.

Another one the ref missed.

[Mazza01]

Dack was quality and the only reason they gave us such as tough game.

[philthesaddler]

The other thing that should be mentioned is that these kind of results really breed confidence through the team, a bit like the Forest result did earlier in the season

[scott_powell]

Gillingham fans saying that the ref gave poor decisions for both teams but was overall okay :lol: :lol: :lol:

I have never in all my years of watching football seen a ref as one sided as I did today.

[ChopperWFC]

One of the most enjoyable games I've been to for ages . It had it all and I'm so proud of our boys tonight . Sawyers Bradshaw o conner jd evans Milan all class . Rico .. A cut above and of he keeps a level head he will earn fortunes in his career . Christ I beleive. !!! Ps to the clubs owner can we please keep this squad together because it can really go places

[Mazza01]

The ref was gutted when we scored the winner.

[SWS1]

Heaven; we're in heaven! :D :D :D What a performance! Well done, each and every one! Get in!! :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D
But can't something be done about these atrocious referees?
Problem is, teams tend not to follow up on legitimate complaints when they win. That's just the time we should be complaining about such apparently inept - or even biased - performances as we can't be accused of sour grapes and being bad losers: let's get the tossers while we're on top :twisted:

[philthesaddler]

Just seen james Collins get sent off for West Ham for a challenge that wasn't half as bad as the one on sawyers today.

[scott_powell]

From the Gillingham forum ... a reaction to Phil's assessment of the referee ...

"Talk about one-eyed views, that's a ridiculous assessment. The only bad challenge was McGlashan's but it wasn't studs up, so a yellow was fair. A typical clumsy winger's tackle, that's all. Dack was definitely fouled 20 yards out near the end which is why he was so cross. I notice the Walsall fan conveniently forgets the cynical trip on Cody in the second half when he was about the pull the trigger - for which the Walsall player was rightly booked. Jackson did look to retaliate after a late tackle but I couldn't see it clearly so can't comment further. Overall I actually thought the ref was pretty good!"

Clueless.

http://fansonline.net/gillingham/mb/view.php?id=266384

[Guest]

Penalty 'never in doubt' - Channel 5.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ccQbtUX19c&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[philthesaddler]

Yeh, totally clueless, anyone who couldn't see that was was atrocious needs their eyes testing.

Look at our disciplinary record - were pretty much immaculate, sometimes to our detriment, because in games like today, we could be dirty, diving cheats and get away with it. Their penalty is a prime example...look at Downings reaction to being pushed, and compare it to Dacks reaction. Downing carries on regardless, Dack goes down like he's just taken a bullet from a sniper.

Just look at the Collins sending off...it's a lesser challenge than the one on Sawyers. You can't have different rules in different leagues...referees that make those kind of mistakes should be banished to the lower non league. This ref made two of those mistakes in 90 mins.

Fair play to smith for not losing his cool on the touch line. I would have done. I hope the club do regularly report the the FA on referee performances given our good discipline record.

[philthesaddler]

Penalty 'never in doubt' - Channel 5.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ccQbtUX19c&feature=youtube_gdata_player

When they choose not to show such a dirty challenge, upon which the result of a game can swing, I tend not to listen to their analysis. Plus it was that always-totally-honest-in-the-penalty-area Tommy Smith making those comments.

A David Cameron promise holds more weight than anything that c-unit has to say

[Guest]

They got this right.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEzOGwiI2NA&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[Walsallone]

Well done Phil your views on the referee are spot on...his performance was appalling and he should not be allowed another game...but I am sure he will be there again next week making the same mistakes. These guys are untouchable....anyway we showed great mental and physical strength to overcome both him and the Gillingham.

[Leatherman]

I thought the Ref. Was pretty good and got the majority of the decisions right.

The foul on Sawers was just to let him know he was in for a hard time. Nothing new in football there is there? Yellow card about right for me.

Dack's nudge on Downing is something that happens and happened all over the pitch yesterday and is part of the grittier side of football which makes it more of a spectator game for me: fudge Namby Pamby football.

He played advantage at the right time and stopped it if no advantage was seen to be gained.

I'd have him he here again compared to some of the crap I've seen any day of the week

As usual we go 2 down in a match and it's the fudge Ref's fault.

I suppose it gave Cooke, Baxendale, McGilvray, Preston and Chesney a break though.