It’s been a long wait, but in at times near monsoon conditions, Gillingham have won a League game at Cambridge United, as Steve Evans’ side secured their first away triumph of the season.
The last time a Gills side returned from the Abbey Stadium with three points was in April 1985 when Keith Peacock’s side secured a 2-1 win. Admittedly the two sides haven’t met that often, but this win could just be the catalyst that the manager has been looking for his threadbare squad and would have been delighted to see top scorer Vadaine Oliver slot the ball home and even happier after the break when Danny Lloyd sent an angled pile driver into the top corner.
Already without Carayol, Phillips, Jackson and O’Keefe, Evans had to rejig his defence with Jack Tucker suspended after picking up his fifth booking of the season in Saturday’s draw at Oxford with Rhys Bennett moving into the heart of the back line alongside Max Ehmer.
And it was Bennett who so very nearly put the Gills in front inside the opening five minutes as he saw his effort cleared off the line from Lloyd’s early corner before Sam Smith spurned the home side’s first chance as he fired over when well placed.
The Gills went in front just past the halfway point of the first half when John Akinde got on the end of a terrific diagonal ball from Robbie McKenzie and from the flick, Oliver raced clear to hammer home his fourth of the season past Mitov in the Cambridge goal.
Cambridge tried to rally before the break but the closest they came was from Joe Ironside’s header (from George Williams’ cross) was too high – indeed the home side could have been further behind, but Dan Adshead was denied a first senior goal by a fine defensive block from another good Akinde lay off.
The home side started the second period on the front foot and Jamie Cumming pulled off two good saves – from Smith’s header and Paul Digby’s shot – before Lloyd Jones shot wide when a corner wasn’t cleared.
Gillingham made their hosts pay on the hour as in pouring rain, Lloyd netted for the first time since opening day as he cut in from the left and thumped the ball high into the top corner giving Mitov no chance whatsoever, before following in the footsteps – or should that be knee slide – of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s goal celebration in Sunday’s North London derby.
The Gills nearly made it three just moments later as Akinde got on the end of Kyle Dempsey’s header, but the big striker saw his effort blocked, before Alex MacDonald so very nearly added to Saturday’s strike at Oxford as he latched onto sub – Charlie Kelman’s centre, but was denied superbly by Mitov as the visitors saw the game out to ensure the points would be heading back to Priestfield.
More than three hundred hardy souls defied the inclement weather and the current fuel shortages to make the trip to the Abbey, and their heroes responded with the first League win in Cambridge in thirty-six years. But more importantly, it’s a fully deserved first Gillingham clean sheet for keeper Cumming and the first League away win of this season – hopefully the first (on both counts) of many…
CAMBRIDGE UNITED – Mitov, Williams, Jones, Masterson, Iredale, Tracey, Digby (May 77), O’Neil, Brophy (Lankester 66), Ironside, Smith (Weir 76).
Subs not used – Dunk, McKenzie-Lyle, Okedina, Knibbs.
Booked: Jones (72).
GILLINGHAM – Cumming, McKenzie, Ehmer, Bennett, Tutonda, MacDonald, Adshead, Dempsey, Lloyd, Akinde, Oliver (Kelman 63).
Subs not used – Lee, Reeves, Chapman, Sithole, Akehurst.
Goals: Oliver (26), Lloyd (60).
Booked: Tutonda (19), Ehmer (22), Cumming (97).
REFEREE – Mr James Bell
Attendance: 4019
Picture supplied by Gillingham Football Club.