A fantasy second half performance saw Gillingham end what has been a turbulent week for all at the club with a crushing 4-0 win over rock bottom Bradford City.
After a nervy first half where the visitors were the better side, the Gills erupted into life within minutes of the start of the second half when the returning Regan Charles-Cox brilliantly gave the Gills the lead which was added to in quick succession by top scorer Tom Eaves and substitute Elliot List, before Eaves headed the fourth in stoppage time leaving the striker ruing a missed penalty and shot that came back off the underside of the bar.
It left those singing his name at the Rainham End asking if today could be the day that turns the Gills season around.
Well if it was, you could point to an incident at the midway point of the first half when City striker Doyle went down on the edge of the Gills box under challenge from Max Ehmer in front of the Rainham End, and as referee Collins whistled the home fans held their breath.
But instead of pointing to the spot as the Bantams had enjoyed the best of the opening stages, the official booked the striker and the Gills were reprieved… and how Steve Lovell’s side were to take advantage!
Yet despite the second half magnificence, it had been a nervous and frustrating first half of misplaced passes and a sense of panic every time the ball dropped in the Gills box with keeper Tomas Holy having a half hour that won’t list very highly in his seventy performances for the Gills.
Ball had an early chance that was fumbled by the Gills keeper who was grateful to have Luke O’Neill hack the ball away. Patrik then had a driven centre deflected goalwards only to be kept out by the left boot of Holy who’d dived the other way to cover the initial cross! And when Bradford did get the ball in the net, Ball was determined offside at the back post as a corner was flicked on.
The best Gills moment came from Eaves headed over Billy Bingham’s cross just before the break, but it was bottom of the pile Bradford who went in more satisfied as they went in at the break goalless, and it could still have been better only for Yorkshire side as Darren Oldaker slipped and Payne drove a shot a yard wide.
The second half began with trepidation for the home fans – trepidation that was to last less than two minutes as Charles-Cook took a pass from Oldaker and was seemingly running out of room before brilliantly drilling a shot beyond the despairing dive of O’Donnell.
Payne then could have equalised for Bradford, but could only head straight at Holy, before the Gills were literally handed the chance to double the lead when former Gills skipper Josh Wright handled Luke O’Neill’s free kick – Eaves though missed the spot kick as O’Donnell plunged to his left to palm away.
It was to matter not as the Gills sealed the win scoring twice in a little over three and a half minutes with Eaves sprinting through onto a driven pass from Max Ehmer to give O’Donnell no chance from the angle, before substitute List, who had been on the pitch less than a minute, showed truly amazing foot work to score the third.
Eaves then missed two glorious chances as he and List ripped the remaining heart out of the Bantams defence. From the first, List did well down the left and put the ball in for the sliding Eaves whose shot came back off the underside of the bar, before he glanced wide a delightful List cross moments later.
The Gills talisman striker and top scorer was not to be denied though. In stoppage time, sub Dean Parrett found the overlapping express as was Barry Fuller, and from his pin point perfect cross, Eaves couldn’t and didn’t miss for his ninth of the season.
The absence of Conor Wilkinson, Bradley Garmston, Josh Parker and Callum Reilly had raised a few questions from fans ahead of kick off, but on this performance, they weren’t missed.
Steve Lovell will surely have now a more comfortable week as he prepares for Fleetwood coming to Priestfield next Saturday sitting 18th in League One, looking up rather than down.
GILLINGHAM – Tomas Holy, Luke O’Neill, Max Ehmer, Gabriel Zakuani, Brandon Hanlan (Elliott List 66), Tom Eaves, Regan Charles-Cook (Navid Nasseri 74), Barry Fuller, Billy Bingham (Dean Parrett 83), Darren Oldaker, Mark Byrne.
Subs not used – Tom Hadler, Alex Lacey, Noel Mbo, Connor Ogilvie.
Goals: Charles-Cook (48), Eaves (65), (91), List 69).
BRADFORD CITY – Richard O’Donnell, Anthony O’Connor, Eoin Doyle (Sherwin Seedorf 80), Jack Payne, Hope Apkan, Nat Knight-Percival, Connor Wood, Thomas Isherwood (Kai Brunker 73), Lewis O’Brien, David Ball (Jordan Gibson 85), Josh Wright.
Subs not used – George Sykes-Kenworthy, Reece Powell, Reece Stanton, Jake Maltby.
Booked: O’Brien (24), Wright (61).
Referee: Mr Lee Collins
Attendance: 4,399