By David Garth
It’s now just over a week since Gareth Ainsworth came riding into town to take over at Priestfield and already things seem to be looking brighter.
John Coleman and Jimmy Bell had been brought in on a short-term deal to halt an alarming slide that had at one point looked irreversible.
They seemed to have sorted out a lot of issues behind the scenes without really capturing fans’ hearts following a run of only two wins in 14 games.
However, there were signs that the players were showing more fight since the Barrow defeat and had taken five points from a possible nine before the owners rang the changes.
Ainsworth’s appointment did come as something of a surprise but was generally very welcome in most corners. The news was confirmed last Tuesday with a formal press conference the following day setting out a ‘two-year-plan’ to get the club moving in the right direction.
Ainsworth explained that his Gillingham side would ‘leave everything on the pitch’ in every game adding that he wanted his team to play on the front foot and to be adaptable.
Fans travelling at the weekend to fellow strugglers Harrogate were able to judge for themselves, but it was no real surprise that his first starting line-up only showed the one change from the previous side with Jonny Williams replacing suspended captain Armani Little.
The game itself turned out to be a disappointment with neither side doing enough to win it, but Gills did improve after the break to come back from a goal down to start Ainsworth’s reign with a point.
It was the same result – a 1-1 draw – but a completely different performance this week as Gillingham entertained a Colchester side on the fringe of the play-off places.
Just one change with Jayden Clarke coming in for Jimmy Morgan, but this time Gills were at it from the start with a very high-energy performance, pressing the U’s all over the pitch to dominate the early stages.
It was a real blow that United took the lead very much against the run of play when Jack Payne scored after the ball appeared to go out of play in the build-up.
The goal turned out be to one of only three attempts on target for the visitors as Gills kept up the intensity and racked up an impressive 20 goal attempts and were eventually rewarded when Mandela Egbo tried to take Oli Hawkins’ shirt off his back to give Max Clark the chance to fire home his second penalty in two matches.
It was nothing more than Gills deserved with Williams outstanding in midfield and Remeao Hutton, for me, playing his best game of the season but a combination of resolute Colchester defending, several blocked shots, an excellent save and some outrageous time-wasting saw the visitors escape with an undeserved point.
The fact that Gills got a great reception come the end of the game said it all. On another day we would surely have taken all three points – but this point was another step towards certain safety, a fifth game unbeaten and, most importantly, a very strong indication that the Ainsworth era is very likely to lead to exciting times to come.
Bring it on!
David has been a Gills’ supporter since he started going to Priestfield in 1963. He was a part time Sports Reporter for the ‘Evening Post’ for well over 30 years and was a regular contributor and a former Editor of the Gills’ Matchday programme. A season ticket holder for many years, David sits in the Medway Stand right on the halfway line and is Media Officer for the Gillingham FC Supporters’ Club.
