For a few months I have been thinking that one day we will give someone a real tonking (I don’t think I am alone in that thought), and on Saturday it happened. At Accrington last week we managed to get a point where our play deserved all 3, today was a similar game but with more goals!
Starting line up: Eastwood in goal, back 3 of, Watts, Jobe and Gibbons; Bennett, Brophy, Mpanzu, Ball, Knight in the middle, Kaikai and Appere up front. It is surprising how many times I have been able to copy and paste the team selection!
Another copy and paste is that I missed our first goal: A free kick near the half way line headed into the middle of the penalty area, the ball falling for Ball to volley into the corner from around the penalty spot. 1-0 after 90 seconds!
Bennett did his usual shuffle to make space for a good shot which was pushed away by their keeper. Soon after Bennett had a headed chance blocked on the line.
A chap collapsed at the end of the NRE (Main stand end). Stewards called for medics, and a couple of women who seemed to have experience in dealing with such events were able to help, and eventually the chap was taken away on a stretcher before the half time rush. I hope he has recovered to get the final score.
Our corners were causing all sorts of problems, a deep one to the back post found the head of someone, the ball hitting the base of the post. Another was headed back for Mpanzu to shoot goalwards, it seems Appere may have got a touch to deflect the ball past the keeper and into the net. 2-0 after 35 minutes.
Gillingham managed an attack which resulted in a 20 yard shot going about 20 yards over!
Knight had a great chance to extend the lead being put in on goal by Appere, but put the ball just wide of the far post.
Half time 2-0. 50/50 draw ticket 36714 won £561.
2-0 can be a difficult score, if the opposition get a goal back it can give them some extra confidence. But not in this game. A few minutes into the half and another good run by Knight across the edge of the penalty area ended when a defender got a foot to the ball, but it went to kaikai to drive into the area and put in a low cross which was deflected into the goal by a defender. 3-0 after 49 minutes.
5 minutes later ball played in Kaikai who turned and dinked the ball over the advancing keeper for 4-0.
Soon after Ball should have made it 5, a near post corner headed on and unmarked from about 8 yards with a gaping goal he controlled then put the ball wide. Around 6000 mouths said “how did he miss that?”!
Gills did manage to get into our half a couple of times, a 25 yard free kick cleared the bar by a few yards, then a run and angled shot from wide went a yard over and turned out to be their best chance.
Purrington, Smith and Lavery came on after 66 minutes for Brophy, Kaikai and Appere, Raggett for Gibbons (who got injured as the keeper rushed out to try to clear, but didn’t get to the ball. VAR would probably have awarded a penalty!) on 73, and Kouassi for Ball on 80.
Into the first of 6 minutes added time and knight raced forward drawing defenders so he put the ball through for Lavery to run onto and finish with a curling shot across the keeper and into the net.
Final score: 5-0.
Another great crowd of 7490 (with 1034 away fans) saw themost one sided match of the season.
We have played against Gareth Ainsworth teams over many years, and they are always very difficult to beat…..strong, physical and organised is what I expected, especially after losing 1-5 to MK during the week. But the only trait they showed was physical, with Brophy seeming to be their main target, Bennett also getting some rough treatment. They tried to stop Knight but in the main he was too fast for them individually, it took 2 or 3 to stop him! A Man of the Match performance. Bennett and Kaikai were close behind
The possession stats were 57% to U’s, so a small advantage, but 18 shots with 6 on target against 6 and 0, the touches in the opposition box of 42 to 3, and 8 corners to 1 shows how one sided the match was.
Eastwood had one of his easiest games in goal, he took a couple of crosses, watched a couple of shots go over was about it. Probably the cleanest match worn keepers shirt ever!
Speaking to Gills fans before the match (and looking at some of their vlogs) there seemed to be an air of resignation that they wouldn’t get anything out of the game, and so there didn’t seem to be the toxic atmosphere towards their players during the match. They allowed U’s so much time and space and didn’t seem able to change the course of play. They bought on another big defender to try to stop Appere so we bought on lavery to run through his legs. OK not quite true but Lavery was quick to run around him! Like U’s last season, their injuries have meant too many changes and those that are playing are just not good enough. Men against boys springs to mind. There was also the realisation that perhaps Bonner and Harris are quite good at what they do given a bit of time!
We stay 3rd in L2. Walsall have been on a poor run since being top around Christmas but had a good win at Crewe, so a much different game on Tuesday eveing, then back at the Abbey next Saturday (12:30 kick off!) against Salford who are currently 5th. To be the best you need to beat the rest!
Up the U’s