Gillingham’s unbeaten run at MEMS Priestfield came to a wet end as Grimsby Town’s Mariners parked their red and yellow fishing boats across their goal as Mark Bonner’s side just ran out of ideas as the visitors grabbed the game’s only goal to said back North with the points.
The Gills boss will be disappointed not to have worked Grimsby stopper Jackson Smith harder but even if the Gills had, the “protection” that Smith, who had just signed for the Mariners on an emergency seven day loan from Barnsley, received from referee Brook was touching on the ridiculous as from the moment that Kieran Green hammered home the game’s only goal midway through the first half, the Grimsby keeper used every trick in the book – and then some – to time waste and the official must have “urged” the keeper to get on with things at least a dozen times without a single hint of a yellow card… a card incidentally the official couldn’t get out quick enough for Glenn Morris when the Gills keeper tapped the ball away from an opponent after misjudging a dash from goal that resulted in a Grimsby throw early in the second half.
Gillingham huffed and puffed for the ninety minutes without really creating too much in front of goal despite the tireless running of Elliott Nevitt up front and the industry of Armani Little in the middle of the park.
Kicking again towards the Rainham End in the first half, the closest the home side came early on was from a flying header by defender Rodgers.
Jayden Clarke did really well down the left and sent in a teasing centre that the big defender launched himself at only for his header to shave the foot of his own post and go behind for a corner.
Jack Nolan was next to tease the Grimsby back line as Ethan Coleman did really well to hook back for skipper Max Ehmer, but his shot went straight at the relieved keeper.
The visitors took the lead when Green raced through a huge hole in the Gills back line onto Denver Hume’s through ball to give Morris no chance with a low sweet, angled drive.
If that wasn’t hard enough for the Priestfield faithful to take, when Shad Ogie’s driven centre hit the heel of Green and clipped the outside of the post going for a corner with the Grimsby goal scorer totally non plussed without a clue where the ball had gone, even the faithful must have feared that it wasn’t Gillingham’s night.
The second half continued as the first with Gills possession and Grimsby’s fleet well and truly parked.
What proved to be the Gills’ best chance of the night came just after the hour when Jayden Clarke sprinted clear down the left and put over a brilliant ball that was just too far in front of a sliding Nevitt, and the striker saw his effort disappear into the Brian Moore Stand.
Ehmer then played the Gills pass of the night – threading through for the over lapping Robbie McKenzie, but like so many other balls on the night, the cross did not beat the first defender.
Even in stoppage time, the home side’s luck did not change as from a corner sub -Tim Dieng (making a welcome return from injury) snatched at the effort and it flew wide and sadly with it went the Gills unbeaten home League run.
GILLINGHAM – Morris, McKenzie, Ehmer, Ogie (Hawkins 79), Max Clark, Little, Nolan, Coleman (Gbode 73), Jonny Williams (Lapslie 62), Jayden Clarke (Dieng 74), Nevitt.
Subs not used – Ashby-Hammond, Wakeling, Wyllie.
Booked: Morris (50).
GRIMSBY TOWN – Smith, Cass, Rodger, McJarrett, Hume, McEachran, Khouri, Green (Tharme 87), Svanthorsen (Pyke 65), Rose (Wilson 73), Barrington (Gardner 65).
Subs not used – Auton, Warren, Ainley.
Goal: Green (21).
Booked: McJannet (25), Hume (51), Green (81), Khouri (88), Rodgers (96).
REFEREE – Mr. Brook
Attendance: 5652