Three times hitting the woodwork and the opposition keeper man of the match by the proverbial country mile, you would forgive Gareth Ainsworth and the Gillingham faithful for being totally dumbfounded as Walsall returned home with quite possibly the most fortunate of three points that they will get this or any other season. 

On an incredible Opening Day at MEMS Priestfield, the Sadlers walked away with the three points with a three-goal win which must have even left their biggest fan wondering just how the heck their side were returning to the Midlands with such a resounding looking win after the Gills hit the frame of the goal three times and found Walsall keeper Jed Ward having an outstanding game in goal! 

The Gills started the day by announcing the on-loan signing of Sheffield Wednesday keeper Ashley Maynard-Brewer and that Liam Gordon was the Clubs new captain as the new EFL season officially kick off. 

The Gills started on the front foot and twice Will Goodwin went close before the first sign that maybe it wasn’t going to be the Gills Day on the half hour when Armani Little who was playing his first game of the season after missing most of pre-season, had to be replaced by Robbie McKenzie. 

Things got worse when the new skipper was also forced off – Logan Dobbs replacing him – but as the half ended the home side finished on top with Ward making his first fine save to keep out Ronan Hale’s effort before Goodwin hit the bar with a shot that had beaten Ward. 

There was even still time for the Walsall bar to shake as James Brophy let fire from a Hale pass and again Ward could only watch as the ball crashed off the bar. 

Hale was denied by the Walsall keeper early in the second half and Goodwin dragged a shot wide as he got on the end of a monster Mckenzie throw as the Gills continued to press looking for the lead. But Walsall soon reminded their hosts that the scoreline was still blank as Aaron Pressley’s close-range effort was well kept out by Maynard-Brewer. 

Hale was next to extend the Walsall keeper into another fine save before Kadeem Harris was next to have a goal but could only shoot straight at Ward. The home sides frustrations were growing all the time, and they weren’t helped when Brophy connected with a gloriously sweet volley that beat Ward all ends up but yet again smacked to safety off the frame of the goal. 

Hale shot wide again and Seb Palmer-Houlden’s delicate header drifted wide as the goal just would not come for those in blue. 

Then ten minutes from time, the goal did arrive, but for the red shirted Walsall players stunning Priestfield – Pressley’s header found Isaac Moore who crashed the ball home! 

Walsall now had the initiative and the Gills were stunned into submission – Connolly reacted first after a shot from a corner hit a post and when Pressley headed a third with literally the last touch of the ball, the faithful were left speechless and bewildered at how a game was so dominated by their heroes had ended in a three nil defeat. 

GILLINGHAM – Maynard-Brewer, Freeman, Smith, Beckles, Gordon (Dobbs), Harris (McCleary) Little (McKenzie), Albarus, Brophy, Hale, Goodwin (Palmer-Houlden) 

Subs – Holtam, McManus, Antwi  

WALSALL – Ward, Hancock (Burke), Connolly, Sprangler, Crew (Moore), Dallas (Sodje), Simper (Clarke), Smith, Pressley, Ahui (Dixon), Skura 

Subs – Kilroy, Adomah 

REFEREE – Emily Heaslip 

Image courtesy of Gillingham FC