Southend United 1 Gillingham 0
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Danny Kedwell tries to close down an opponent
during Gillingham's 1-0 defeat at
Southend Picture:
Barry Goodwin
by Luke Cawdell
Gillingham tasted defeat for the third time in four games after
conceding late on against Southend in League 2 on Tuesday
night.
The home side, who played half of the second
period with 10 men, snatched the winner when Mark Phillips
headed home an 87th minute corner.
Southend striker Bilel Moshni was sent off
midway through the second half for a second caution, but the Gills
couldn’t capitalise.
Luke Rooney had an early stab at goal, after
getting in behind the defence, but keeper Glenn Morris showed a
strong hand to keep it out.
The home side went close with a looping
effort from Blair Sturrock in front of the 550 travelling fans
which struck the bar. Those Gills fans were relieved to see it
cleared to safety.
They were arguably the best chances of the
game before it opened up late on.
Southend had put a bit of pressure on, after a
positive start from Andy Hessenthaler’s side, but with 28 minutes
gone Morris had to be alert again to dive low and palm away Joe
Martin’s shot.
Gillingham, who continued with Kedwell playing
as the lone striker, were looking more dangerous in the opening
half at Southend than they had at the weekend against
Accrington.
An even first half ended without a goal and
the Gills came close just before the interval when Danny Spiller,
back in the side in place of Lewis Montrose, blazed a shot narrowly
wide.
Early chances fell at both ends in the second
half with Kane Ferdinand shooting wide from a corner for Southend
and Spiller’s delicate effort dropping just wide at the other.
Rooney blasted a shot at goal just before the
hour from a corner but it was parried by Morris and cleared.
Hessenthaler introduced Dennis Oli on the hour
to offer support in attack for Kedwell in a bid to snatch the
winner.
Moshni, who was petulant throughout the game,
saw red on 67 minutes when he stood in the way of Garry Richards’
free-kick. It was his second booking after earlier going down
feigning injury.
The Gills, already missing defender and
captain Andy Frampton through injury, lost stand-in skipper Matt
Lawrence because of a head injury with 20 minutes left after a
collision with Mark Phillips.
For the final 15 minutes the Gills had three
strikers on with Stefan Payne joining proceedings to replace
Spiller, who hobbled off.
Payne twice drew a save from Morris in the
last five minutes but they were unable to make the extra man
count.
With three minutes left the deadlock was
broken when Ryan Hall’s corner was guided home by Phillips.
The Gills had an additional five minutes of
injury-time to rescue a point but were unable to avoid defeat.
Gillingham: Flitney, Fuller,
Martin, Lawrence (Montrose 73mins), Richards, Lee, Whelpdale (Oli
62mins), Spiller (S Payne 77mins), Jackman, Rooney, Kedwell. Subs
not used: Fish, Essam.
Southend: Morris, Clohessy,
Gilbert, Hall, Mohsni, Grant, Timlin, Ferdinand, Phillips, Sturrock
(Prosser 94mins), Barker. Subs not used: Johnson, Bentley, Leonard,
Kalala.
Attendance: 4,598
What did you make of Tuesday night’s
result? Comment below.
Tuesday, September 13 2011
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