Match Reports
Gills reserves draw with Seagulls
Published by Ben Curtis on September 29, 2009
A last-minute error from Brighton goalkeeper Graeme Smith gifted Gillingham reserves a point they probably didn’t deserve at Priestfield this afternoon. Smith completely missed the ball while attempting to clear outside of his box, allowing substitute Tom Murphy to tap in from close range and make it 2-2. Seagulls striker Glenn Murray opened the scoring on the hour mark before Rashid Yussuff tapped in with 10 minutes to go to level the scores. Former Millwall midfielder David Livermore looked to have won it for Brighton two minutes later with a decent finish before Smith’s mistake ended Brighton’s 100 per cent winning start to the season.
Both sides fielded first-teamers, but it was Brighton who looked stronger in midfield and most likely to score early on. Winger Kevin McLeod’s cross-cum-shot hit the side netting after 10 minutes and four minutes later Alan Navarro shot over after evading the offside trap.
But Gillingham had chances too, three of which came through Luke Rooney’s hard work. A lofted corner from Rooney was met by a free-header from Dean Rance who could only glance it wide and a good save was needed from Smith after Rooney had weaved past two defenders. After half an hour he tried something normally seen from namesake Wayne; seeing the goalkeeper off of his line, Rooney tried chipping it over Smith but the crossbar came too soon.
Brighton continued to threaten – Livermore came close, heading over from a near-post corner – but the scores were level at half-time. Shortly after the break both sides had chances – Rance and Rooney narrowly missed John Nutter’s looping cross for Gillingham before McLeod’s shot from the left was brilliantly tipped around the post by Alan Julian. Brighton broke the deadlock after an hour when Glenn Murray headed Gary Hart’s cross past Julian, but Gillingham replied strongly. Rooney, having played a short corner, cut inside before drilling the ball across goal and out for a throw-in. Tom Wynter’s looping header from Rooney’s deep free-kick came off the cross bar four minutes later.
Unsurprisingly it was Rooney who played a part in Gillingham’s equaliser. Substitute Murphy played Rooney down the right, cut inside and shot – the ball half stopped into Yussuff’s path and he finished from close range. But Brighton were to restore their lead a couple of minutes later – Gillingham’s defence were caught out passing it about and Livermore drove through the defence and finished well into the bottom corner. Smith’s last minute howler levelled the scores, keeping Gillingham’s unbeaten home record in the league.
Gillingham: Julian, Bartrum (Davies 46), Nutter, Wynter, Essam, Payne, Yussuff, Rance (Stimson 60), Erskine (Murphy 60), Miller, Rooney. Subs not used: Quinn (GK), Geering
Brighton: G Smith, Ide, McNulty (Dunk 75), Livermore, Cook, Whybourne, Smith (Brinkhurst 71), Navarro, Hart, Murray (Barker 79), McLeod. Subs not used: Pelling (GK), J Smith
Ben Curtis
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