Gillingham’s unbeaten start to the new season is in tatters after Colchester United’s Priestfield hoodoo struck yet again under ever greying Medway skies. 

For an hour, it looked like the unbeaten run would go on with Gills enjoying the better chances in a tight contest with new loanee Connor Mahoney excelling on debut.

But from the minute that Jake Turner’s goal was breeched for the first time this season, it all went horribly wrong for Neil Harris’ side and the visitors maintained their remarkable record at Priestfield as its now just two defeats in twelve visits to Priestfield this century! 

It was particularly touch for Turner and his so far immaculate defence who at last conceded after five hundred and thirty six minutes without conceding a goal, the fourth best in the club’s history, and then just as your local buses seem too when you’ve been waiting a while, when the first arrives, two more did relatively quickly in the remaining twenty six minutes of a game that for the first hour only had one winner and its wasn’t Colchester. 

Early on the signs were encouraging, the Gills had the better of the early play with the probing balls of Mahoney a joy to behold. Tim Dieng had a great early chance from a Scott Malone corner, but U’s keeper Owen Goodman pulled off a magnificent save to keep out the Frenchman’s header. 

Turner then did well to beat away Colchester’s only real chance of the first half after Joe Taylor had been cautioned for taking protests too far after he was denied by Cheye Alexanders last ditch tackle. Another Colchester player, Junior Tchamadeu, was then cautioned for simulation as he threw himself to the ground as the visitors stretched the letter of the law, and the patience of both referee Kirk and the Priestfield faithful. 

The opening stages of the second period followed a similar pattern although the visitors were definitely lucky not to go down to ten men almost straight away as Taylor was penalised for a deliberate handball, which under the new “guidelines” should have been a second yellow card. 

A huge black cloud moved over Priestfield during the break and in truth it was to mirror the events on the pitch as the second period developed. Things really did begin to turn against the home side on the hour as Tom Nichols was clattered to the floor in the box but again the official wasn’t interested in pointing to awarding what seemed to be an obvious spot kick. 

Colchester then did score, what was their first goal of the season, as a free kick into the box wasn’t cleared and substitute Fiacre Kelleher smashed the ball into the net. 

And to prove it really wasn’t to be Gillingham’s day and that the Colchester jinx at Priestfield was alive and well when Alexanders driven shot that seemed to be going wide was brilliantly turned goalward by the arching Macauley Bonne, Goodman produced a world class reflex save to claw the ball out from the top corner. 

Two goals in five minutes then saw a lot of the crowd heading for the exits early and sealed the visitors win as Samson Tovide scored with a low drive and substitute Bradley Ihionvien made it three with a delightful lob over a stranded Turner. 

The Gills day was then topped off as Ethan Coleman was given a straight red card by the official who had, after a flurry of cards in the first half, seemingly left his cards in the dressing room at the break. Yes, Colemans challenge on Arthur Reid was a strong one but there was disbelief all round when the official showed the card was red, especially what Mr Kirk had allowed Taylor to “escape” with earlier in the half! 

Gillingham knocked off top and Colchester off the bottom and the elusive search for five consecutive wins at the start of a season will go into another year, the last time the Gills win the first four under Tony Pulis in 1995, the winning streak was ended in game five by… Colchester United! 

GILLINGHAM – Turner, Alexander (McKenzie), Malone, Ehmer, Ogie, Shaun Williams (Coleman), Dieng (Clarke), Jonny Williams, Mahoney (Masterson), Nichols, Nadesan (Bonne) 

Subs – Morris, Chambers 

COLCHESTER UNITED – Goodman, Greenidge, Hall, Tovide (Kazeer), Chilvers, Reid, Egbo, Tchamadeu (Newby), Lawrence (Kelleher), Taylor (Ihionvien), Fevrier (Bandeira) 

Subs – Jay, Smith 

REFEREE – Mr Kirk 

Image courtesy of Gillingham FC