<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">I thought we bossed the first half quite well and could have been 2 or 3 up at half time-don't know why the goal was disallowed-so the view that Shuker's goal was against the run of play is bizarre (IMHO)</font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman"></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Barnsley 1 <place w:st="on">Gillingham</place> 0 </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Date : Tue 10 Jan 2006<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Kick Off : 19:45<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span> </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Venue : Oakwell<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Attendance : 7090<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span> </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Comp : Coca-Cola Football League One<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Referee : K Friend<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span> </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span> </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Goals : </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Shuker 15<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span> </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> <font face="Times New Roman"> </font></p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Match Report </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Despite a spirited performance by Gills, Chris Shuker's first half strike was enough to condemn Ronnie Jepson's side to another away defeat. </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Jepson welcomed Sean Clohessy and Darren Byfield back to the starting line-up for this match. Byfield returning after almost two full months out with a knee injury - Clohessy returning after illness. </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Despite having a goal disallowed in the opening few minutes <place w:st="on">Barnsley</place> showed little to panic the Gills in the early stages. But with 15 minutes played Shuker struck what turned out to be the winning goal. </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Both Brent Sancho and Gavin Grant had headed opportunities to equalise for the Gills late on, but sadly both failed hit the target. </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> <font face="Times New Roman"> </font></p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">The Gills started the game brightly and created a number of goalscoring opportunities as they searched for their first away victory of the campaign. Michael Flynn was at his very best as captain and his enthusiasm rubbed off on the rest of the team as they sought to see off their hosts. </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Jason Brown caught an early shot by Tommy Wright before the possession and chances swung largely in the Gills favour. Flynn showed great commitment when he slid in with Tyke's keeper Nick Colgan to win an early corner, from which, Flynn, himself, hit the crossbar with his inswinging kick. </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">A succession of Gills corners followed with Colgan saving one at the feet of Byfield as he looked to pounce at the far post. </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Then Sean Clohessy showed just why he has been drafted into the first team with a mazy run that saw him leave his marker for dead before cutting in and firing over from 12 yards. </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Byfield then planted a header into the welcome hands of Colgan before <place w:st="on">Barnsley</place> stunned Gills with the opener. <font size="4">Against the run of play</font>, Paul Hayes crossed into the box, Sancho half cleared, but Chris Shuker pounced and unleashed a thunderbolt beyond Brown and into the roof of the net. </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Gills didn't drop their heads though and continued to move the ball forward when opportunities arose. Flynn in particular was vocal and continually encouraged his teammeates; he wasn't frightened to have a shot on goal either, as another 30-yard effort proved. </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Barnsley were using the full width of the pitch when they attacked but Brown was wise to the threat and continually came, and caught, numerous crosses into the box. </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Just after the half hour mark the home side were awarded a free kick when Jon Wallis was adjudged to have fouled Martin Deyaney. Jacob Burns let fly with a fierce right-footed effort that was well saved by Brown. </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Minutes later Flynn drove a free-kick straight at the wall for Gills before Danny Jackman's corner kick was headed over the crossbar by Sancho. </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">As the first half drew to a close Flynn saw two long-range efforts miss the target and had a free kick charged down, and cleared, by Paul Reid. </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> <font face="Times New Roman"> </font></p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> <font face="Times New Roman"> </font></p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman"><place w:st="on">Barnsley</place> started the better of the two sides in the second half creating a couple of early half-chances. Marc Richards missed the target with a speculative effort from fully 35-yards before Brown caught Stephen McPhail's deep free-kick into the box. </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Up the other end Flynn steered a free-kick into the hands of Colgan after Jackman had been fouled. Daniel Spiller then tried his luck from the edge of the box after a decent passing move. Spiller drilled towards goal forcing Colgan to save. </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Jepson made a double substitution on 71 minutes introducing Gavin Grant and Alan Pouton for Byfield and Jon Wallis respectively. </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Substitute Grant had an opportunity to level for the Gills in the 82nd minute but after getting himself into a good position, his header, from 12 yards, whizzed past the wrong side of the post. </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Despite their best efforts Gills were unable to breakdown the home defence and bag an equalising goal that would have given them a deserved share of the spoils. </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> <font face="Times New Roman"> </font></p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Barnsley: Colgan, Reid, Burns, Hayes, McPhail, <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Austin</city></place>, Shuker, Tonge, Devaney (Richards, 41), Wright (Nardiello, 74), Williams (Kell, H/T). </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Subs: Flinders, Laight. </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> <font face="Times New Roman"> </font></p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman"><place w:st="on">Gillingham</place>: Brown, Clohessey, Jackman, Sancho, Johnson, Crofts, Wallis (Pouton, 71), Flynn, Spiller, Byfield (Grant, 71), Harris. </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Subs: Crichton, Shields, Hope. </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> <font face="Times New Roman"> </font></p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Bookings: Harris, Byfield, Pouton </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Attendance: 7090 </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Referee: Mr. K Friend </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Report by: Simon Ongley</font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> <font face="Times New Roman"> </font></p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">"I can't fault the lads." Said Jepson </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> <font face="Times New Roman"> </font></p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Gills manager Ronnie Jepson gives his assessment of tonight's 0-1 defeat to <place w:st="on">Barnsley</place> at Oakwell.</font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> <font face="Times New Roman"> </font></p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Gillingham travelled to <place w:st="on">Barnsley</place> in confident mood as they searched for their first away win of the season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span> </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Recent away performances against Bournemouth and <place w:st="on">Huddersfield</place> had showed that there were improvements on the road but despite a good display Gills were unable to recover from Chris Shuker's 15th minute strike. </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">Speaking at the post match press conference manager Ronnie Jepson said: "I can't fault the lads. The commitment, desire and work ethic was there, but we lacked quality in certain areas. </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">"We are struggling for that bit of luck at the moment, which I thought was highlighted tonight. </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">"I was pleased that we got plenty of balls into the box and created chances. </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman">"We were worthy of at least a point but it didn't happen for us." </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> <font face="Times New Roman"> </font></p></p>
I like the Paul Hayes crossed into the box. Did he see the same Goal as me. Ball into Hayes who Megsed defender for Shuker to run onto anr rifle past keeper ! more accurate I think.</p>
"Flynn showed great commitment when he slid in with Tyke's keeper Nick Colgan to win an early corner" Oh aye - that would be the one where the ref was the only person who thought it was a corner.
