Gillingham’s disintegrating season plumbed new depths on Saturday as they were hit for seven by a rampant Oxford United at a disbelieving Priestfield.
Three down inside twenty minutes, the afternoon fell apart rapidly and by the time sub-Anthony Forde netted the visitors’ seventh in the last minute, the dark clouds that have been circling Priestfield for weeks took a whole new twist.
That said, much as it was a day to forget for everyone connected with the Gills, for Oxford striker Cameron Brannagan is was a day to truly remember as he became the first player ever to net four penalties in the same English League game.
He also became the first player to score three successful spot-kicks in an English league game since 2017 – ironically, another game at Priestfield when Josh Wright’s treble of penalties secured a 3-2 win over Scunthorpe – before that it had not been achieved in the league since 1957, by Ken Barnes of Manchester City against Everton.
But this was a totally unmitigated disaster for everyone connected to the Gills and would have been as tough for Steve Lovell to stomach as any of the supporters who sat in bewilderment in the stands as the Gills failed to win for the fourteenth League game running!
Billy Bodin, Brannagan and then Matty Taylor had all but sealed the points for Oxford inside twenty minutes – Bodin with a low shot; Bancroft with his first penalty and Taylor with a glancing header – as the Gills back line crumbled.
Brannagan completed his treble of spot kicks within ten minutes of the restart – Gills keeper Pontus Dahlberg conceded the first with a clumsy lunge and Jack Tucker’s foul the second, before the flabbergasted home support finally had something to cheer as Danny Lloyd cracked home just the home side’s 21st League goal of the season.
Worse was to follow as Dan Phillips handled and Brannagan netted number six and his record breaking fourth with seven minutes left.
The home fans who hadn’t left then at least saw a second Gills goal when Robbie McKenzie netted – the first time they’ve scored twice at Priestfield in a League game since mid-August – but there was still time for Forde to net the seventh and complete Oxford’s remarkable day.
Were Gillingham that poor or were Oxford that good?
Tough questions but one thing is crystal clear – there are severe underlying problems at Priestfield with Steve Lovell undoubtedly now caught well and truly in the middle of it. A club fan and club legend, Lovell himself would have suffered as much as the 4,000 faithful, many of whom were home in the warm long before the final whistle.
After the game, the caretaker coach joined an ever-growing voice calling on under fire Chairman Paul Scally for some clarity on the position going forward.
Just how loud that voice will become and how many of the faithful will return for Tuesday’s home game with Crewe Alexandra is something that remains to be seen…
GILLINGHAM – Dahlberg, Jackson, Ehmer, Tucker, McKenzie, O’Keefe, Dempsey, Lee (Phillips 57), Lloyd, Carayol (Sithole 76, Kelman.
Subs not used: Chapman, Tutonda, Masterson, Lintott, Dickson-Peters.
Goals: Lloyd (62), McKenzie (85).
Booked: Lee (11), Carayol (18), Dahlberg (47).
OXFORD UNITED – Stevens, Long, Moore, Brannagan, Taylor (Winnall 56), Sykes, McNally, McGuane, Bodin (Forde 84), Holland (Williams 60), Seddon.
Subs not used: Eastwood, Mousinho, Davis.
Goals: Bodin (8), Brannagan (pen12,) (pen 48), (pen 55), (pen 83), Taylor (19), Forde (89).
REFEREE – Mr Robert Madley
Attendance: 4,985 (650 Oxford United).