For the first time in nearly sixty years, Gillingham have won at Barrow! Thanks to a Robbie McKenzie strike in the 103rd minute, yes that is right the 103rd minute.
Not denying that the Cumbrians haven’t enjoyed League status for the majority of that time by the last time the Gills tasted victory over Barrow in Barrow many of the 237 travelling supporters hadn’t been born, and even on the day of reckoning, their heroes made them wait for the prize as THIRTEEN minutes into stoppage time a corner from Lennie Cirino wasn’t cleared and Robbie McKenzie gleefully hammered home as the Gills scored for the first time in four games but also won for the first time in four!
Gareth Ainsworth changed half the side that had disappointed so badly against Oldham the previous week at MEMS Priestfield and included Cirino in a matchday squad for the first time in a while.
As possibly to be expected, the Gills whilst containing the home side in the opening half hour, struggled to get going themselves, with Max Clark’s fizzing early effort the closest either side came.
McKenzie then went close after good work from Ronan Hale before Jake Turner’s goal was threatened for possibly the first time with two minutes left in the half, but Josh Gordon’s attempt was smothered and the chance had gone.
After the break Hale and McKenzie combined brilliantly creating a chance for Hale, but his arrowed drive hit the outside frame of the Barrow goal, and then Gordon fired well wide for the hosts after Turner had done really well from a corner.
With half an hour gone, play was delayed for some time after Jovan Malcolm suffered a leg injury which after intensive treatment saw the Barrow carried off on a stretcher.
The break disrupted the Gills, and they were thankful to Andy Smith to reach a vicious ball into the visitor’s box ahead of Niall Canavan.
There were some gasps around the ground when the fourth official held thirteen minutes on the board, and it was as if the Gills found another gear as Ainsworth made a triple change as Sam Vokes, Cirino and Aaron Rowe were introduced with all three heavily involved in the game’s only goal.
Vokes was found by Rowe’s cross, and the Welshman’s header forced a fine save out of Wyll Stanway, and from Cirino’s resulting corner, McKenzie struck and the points were making the long trip south back to Kent.
BARROW – Stanway, Canavan, Jackson, McCann, Malcolm (Mahoney), J. Anderson, Gordon (Fletcher), Thompson, Barkhuizen, Rose (Walker), Harper
Subs – Winterbottom, Newby, F. Anderson
GILLINGHAM – Turner, Hutton (Rowe), Andy Smith, Beckles, Gale, Clark (Cirino), Little (Coleman), McKenzie, Antwi (Euan Williams), Palmer-Houlden (Vokes), Hale
Subs – Morris, Dack
REFEREE – Mr. Joyce
Image courtesy of Gillingham FC