The Rainham End has a new hero… or it would if the fans had been allowed to watch Gillingham register their first home SKYBet League One win of the season against Blackpool!
In what was manager Steve Evans’ 50th game in charge of the club, Dominic Samuel marked his full “permanent” debut for the club with both goals – two contrasting goal to boot – as the Gills beat the Seasiders at home base for the first time since September 2015, and for just the third time in Kent this century!
Samuel, who re-joined the club this week after a successful loan period back in 2015/2016, took no time at all to reacquaint himself with the net at Priestfield, as in just the fourth minute he was on hand to bundle the ball home after Jack Tucker had turned Connor Ogilvie’s header which came off the bar (from the Gills first corner) back across goal.
Blackpool who have invested heavily during the summer and are fancied by some as being League One’s dark horses this year, responded almost instantly, and Jack Bonham – who returned in goal for the Gills after missing out on the trip to Stoke in midweek with back problems – was at his scrambling best to keep out Keshi Anderson’s attempted pass which deflected and seemed destined for the net but for the keeper’s intervention.
With Josh Eccles returning in midfield after being cup tied in midweek, the Gills had another new partnership in the middle of the park – Eccles and Scott Robertson – and for long periods the pair were superb against quality opponents as the home side dominated the opening half.
Indeed, Samuel will have been disappointed that he didn’t double the lead before the break as he was played in by Jacob Mellis but couldn’t connect properly with his shot and keeper Chris Maxwell gathered with ease.
Blackpool were first out of the blocks after the break, but almost instantly the Gills doubled their advantage, but it could have been so different.
CJ Hamilton was clean through against Bonham, but Ogilvie appeared from nowhere to block and the chance was gone. Up the other end Gillingham went, and after some terrific hold up play from Vadaine Oliver, his delivery to Samuel was almost perfect, and the new Gills number nine buried the chance into the bottom corner.
With nothing to lose, the visitors went searching to try and get back into the game and with quarter of an hour left, Bonham excelled racing to the edge of his box to block.
Substitute Sully Kaikai then missed the left post from distance by a matter of inches as the ninety minutes elapsed before Demetri Mitchell’s free kick was magnificently touched onto the post by the Gills stopper in stoppage time, with the keeper smartly reacting to deny Madine’s follow up.
Not even eight minutes of stoppage time was going to deny the Gills their victory.
Next up is a trip to so far winless Shrewsbury next weekend, but more importantly for the manager and his overworked medical staff, they have seven days match free to try and get some of those aches and pains eased before the Gills make another long – and costly trip – North.
GILLINGHAM – Bonham, Jackson, Ogilvie, Tucker, Medley, Robertson (McKenzie 79), Eccles, Mellis, Graham, Samuel (MacDonald 91), Oliver (Akinde 84).
Subs – Walsh, Woods, Coyle.
BLACKPOOL – Maxwell, Robson, Anderson (Madine 72), Yates, Nottingham (Husband 52) Mitchell, Ward, Turton, Ekpiteta, Hamilton, Lubala (KaiKai 62)
Subs – Sims, Williams, Sarkic, Kemp
REFEREE – Mr Swabey
Picture supplied by Gillingham Football Club.