Gillingham 0 Cheltenham Town 0
Myles Weston is kept in check by Alan
Bennett. Picture: Barry Goodwin
by Luke Cawdell
Gillingham were held to a goalless draw at home to
Cheltenham on Tuesday night.
In an entertaining League 2 encounter both
sides had their chances but neither could find the killer blow.
Three changes were made to the Gillingham side
which beat League 1 Scunthorpe at the weekend in the FA Cup, with
leading scorer Danny Kedwell among those returning to the starting
XI.
Andy Frampton, at left-back, and midfielder
Lewis Montrose were also included for the battle between top of the
table Gills and third placed Cheltenham.
Gills boss Martin Allen – once manager at
Cheltenham - had labelled the match as his side’s toughest test yet
and the visitors displayed plenty of quality going forward, testing
the hosts early on.
Only some desperate blocks and a couple of
good saves from keeper Stuart Nelson kept Cheltenham at bay.
Gillingham’s chances were being fired wide of
the mark, with Chris Whelpdale blasting one effort over the bar,
after Myles Weston’s cross had ran through to him in the area.
Defender Adam Barrett also headed a Whelpdale
throw wide as the Gills looked to get a grip of the match.
Gillingham were living on a knife-edge at
times at the other end and three times in the first half they were
saved by sliding tackles from young defender Callum Davies.
Allen’s men had a golden opportunity to open
the scoring five minutes before the break, after Jack Payne’s
long-range shot was spilled by keeper Scott Brown. The ball landed
at the feet of Kedwell but he smashed the effort against the bar
with the goal gaping.
Deon Burton was brought on early in the second
half as Allen looked to get the Gills going. But it was Barrett who
almost gave the hosts the lead just before the hour mark, with a
shot that keeper Scott Brown needed to be at full stretch to
deflect over the bar.
The Gills were looking far superior at the
start of the second half and they maintained their dominance
throughout the rest of the game. But it was the visitors who came
close on 73 minutes, when Jermanine McGlashan’s cross eluded the
grasp of Nelson, and Matt Fish had to make a last-ditch
clearance.
In a game that ebbed and flowed substitute
Burton put a diving header inches wide for the Gills moments later.
With five minutes left Kedwell headed a corner wide.
Gillingham: Nelson, Fish, Frampton, Barrett,
Davies, Payne (Burton 53mins), Montrose, Vincelot, Whelpdale,
Weston (Jackman 74mins), Kedwell (Birchall 87mins). Subs not used:
Forecast, Hare, Flanagan, Strevens.
Cheltenham: Brown, Jones, Carter, Elliott,
Pack, McGlashan, Bennett, Penn (Deering 87mins), Jombati, Mohamed
(Goulding 80mins), Zebroski. Subs not used: Lowe, Duffy, Roberts,
Harrad, Andrew.
Attendance: 6,096.
06/11/12
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