Latest / Blood, Sweat & Gills / Voice Notes: Gillingham 3-0 Bristol Rovers
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- Simon Head: Welcome to Jill's 365 Voice Notes. Please leave your message after the tone. How cool is it to be excited to get to a Jules game, ⁓ 25 past 11, Saturday morning, and I cannot wait to get to the Breeze Field. Yeah, leaving about quarter past 12 today. Gonna pick up Boz and then Stocky and his lady friend. And then yeah, head over. Stocky will get his first experience of a new fanzone. And then yeah, hopefully have a positive Jules performance. Another three points come five o'clock. Alright, just getting ready for kickoff at Breesfield. It is Jills versus Bristol Rovers. No Connorman Manners today, even though he did all the pre-match media. He's out, he's not even in ⁓ he's not even on the bench, so maybe he's been arrested for his international duty, I am not too sure. We'll see how it all goes. We have Lamine Silla is playing up front and ⁓ it looks like he's gonna be partnering Ronan Hale, who is okay to start after taking that. nasty bang on the ankle when he scored his goal last week against ⁓ Crocky wasn't we'd be lost Trammere Rovers this isn't so long ago but the games are coming thick and fast in Jellingham now and this is our biggest test of the season if we get a good win here that'll take our unbeaten run to six and it'll take our win streak to three and in doing so we'll have beaten back to back two teams that have been doing pretty well early on this season Trammere unbeaten Came here, we beat them. Bristol Rovers, good at home, little bit wobbly on their travels, but are in the top view at the top of the division. I think we can get out of this lot today, but they are a decent side, so we'll see how it pans out. Jills versus Bristol Rovers. Pretty grey and dingy Priestfield Stadium, but fingers crossed the performance on the pitch will brighten things up. Just to my seat in the Rain of End. It's gonna be a difficult game. cools yeah Bristol Rovers riding high but that does mask a rather dodgy ⁓ away form and overall their record at Freezefield is not great. ⁓ but big test I think probably on paper gonna be our hardest game of the season ⁓ but I think we will come out victorious and I'm going for a 2-1 win. Just walk into the ground now on a slightly blustery day. ⁓ literally just seeing the team news. well the surprise to me is that Hale is fit. ⁓ I think we managed to keep us all guessing and I was quite surprised that he is fit. ⁓ but perhaps the more surprising one is that McManus has dropped out ⁓ and out of the squad completely. The fact he did the post-match ⁓ sorry pre-match interview suggests that maybe this is a late issue, the fact that Webster has come onto the bench as well. Kind of indicates to me that maybe this is a real late change and we've had to jig things around a little bit. But the good news is Brofi sh ⁓ can also slot in there at left wing back. A bit disappointing because his energy and effort up getting up towards the top end of the pitch has been key to us so far, but but hopefully that won't mess things up too much. ⁓ I suspect that Pale and still I will kind of push on and be ⁓ be supported by Waldock with his energy and enthusiasm. So we are losing a little bit of something with Profium to drop into left wing back but but hopefully I'm still optimistic we'll do okay today. again I'm expecting a tight game. I wouldn't be surprised if we we we snuck a victory or equally a CLA equaliser for us or something like that. That's how I'm feeling. ⁓ I don't think we're gonna lose. Famous last words. but feeling quite optimistic. I said it was a good solid win last week. And just just a little bit surprised, a little disappointed that after seeing some players on the grass In the training videos of the last couple of days that ⁓ they've not made it onto the bench. I've kind of half hoped that Alburos or maybe even Skipper from last season, ⁓ Armani Little could have made it onto the bench and maybe helped us ⁓ in the latter minutes per hen perhaps of the game. But I guess that's my only slight concern if we are behind and we have to chase it. We are gonna have to rely on youthful exuberance, which we have an abundance on that bench. And let's hope they can make the right impact like they did last week. ⁓ alongside the the veteran that is McCleary who as much as I said didn't do a lot last week outside of his impacts on two goals, he did have a major say in the in the result last week. Anyway, look forward to it. Just ⁓ just hope that's on my prediction that we don't lose is ⁓ comes true. 90 minutes. Up the jewels. ⁓ Team News in, and there's couple of surprises for me. Yeah, surprise Lamin Silla starts, but I did say beforehand that I wanted that physical approach in the forward line, so I've got no issue with it at all. So it looks like him and Ronan Hale with potentially Harry Waldock supporting as well. Bigger surprise, though, is conner McManners today, not even on the bench. So is there a knock? Is there a problem? Have Ireland asked us to rest him. I don't think international duty starts just yet, given everyone's playing football matches in the FL and the Premier League. So yeah, looks like a shuffle about, and James Gropey probably going to offer. At left wing back. But yeah, still a decent side, still a strong squad. Not seeing the Rovers team yet. Of course, we're going to have to be at our best, but I think if we are, then I'm confident we will get something. Half hour to go before Jill's next game of the season at home to Crystal Rovers and the return of Steve Evans. Looking forward to this one. Went to the fan zone before the game since it's the first time I've been in a few weeks, and of course I was really impressed with the setup there. I think it's something that I'll do well when the weather's alright. It'd be interesting to see how it is in the cold, wet, horrible months. But I think as a kind of space for fans to meet before games, have a drink with the screen coming soon as well. It's a really good investment. By club, so it's only that's only going to get better ⁓ the longer we kind of go on. So be interesting to see how that develops. Regarding things on the fields, I'd probably take a draw in all honesty. I don't like taking a draw at from home games, but the way Bristol Rhodes has started last week aside, they've ⁓ done really well so far. It's gonna be a tough test for us. So if we can take a point and keep the unbeaten run going, I'll be more than happy with it. Obviously, depends how the game goes and the kind of nature of the draw as to if it's deserved or not. But yeah, I think if you ask me now, would I be happy with a point, I'd say yes, but obviously three is the ambition and what we're looking for. Since the last game we've had a few new sign-ins, looking forward to seeing Eli King, especially after some of the reviews I've seen from others, that he's looked a class above and looking forward to see Rofi again, albeit he might be in a slightly different position today. As McManus is not in the squad, don't know if that's due to his international caller or he's got a slight niggle, I don't know. But we see how the game goes, but hoping for another good performance and let's hope at end of this night that unbeaten runs ticks over to another game. It's half time and it is nil-nil and I think as the half went on we actually started to started to take over a little bit. Bristol Rovers looked the battery first 10-15 minutes or so. Bobby Cam were looking dangerous down the left. But yeah, it was just lots of sort of high-paced attacks without really any end product to it. Just the sort of stuff that leaves you a little bit nervous and we looked a little bit nervous early on but Gradually they started to settle down and as the half wore on we started to take over a little bit more and I'll tell you something this Bristol Rose defence is nothing to write home about at all. They look a little bit iffy in the air, they look slow and beatable down the sides. Harry Waldock has been excellent in this first half going down the right hand side and he's looked particularly dangerous, got in behind the fallback, Beb Murrit, who looks bang average, I'm gonna be honest. But yeah, it's been an alright first half. Arguably we should be ahead. Ronald Hale at the back post with a lovely volley, great save by their Golden Eagle on his feet. And then in the last minute or so of the first half, absolute free header for Robbie McKenzie. Ball from I think it was ⁓ Nick Freeman swept it into the box. And Silla the Like he was gonna get go for it, but the ball went over the top of his head. And in comes Robbie Mackenzie. All he's gotta do is head it on target and we're 1-0 up. And he hits it with a textbook defensive header sends it way over the crossbar. He hits the target with that. We're going in at halftime, 1-0 up. But plenty for us to be used by after that first half. Fingers crossed. Halftime here at the Freestall Stadium. Very even contest, first half, nil-nil is the ⁓ score. Bristol Rovers look a decent side, probably the best side we've played so far this season. Fairly even contest, as I say, not too much goal mouth activity. They look a very quick side, very good on the press, making it difficult for us to play out. Standout players for us, I think, have been Waldock, who's managed to kind of provide some pockets of space going forward. And Freeman down our right has been very industrious. The referee at times has been a bit weak with some of the antics of the Bristol Rovers players. Canwa in particular. Very easy to go to ground. And also I think the Lino should keep an eye on the throw-ins because there's been quite a few illegal throws. Certainly not delivered from over the head. But so far, so good. And I think it's going to be a tight contest second half as well. I can see it just being settled by the odd goal. time carrying 0-0 quite watchable 0-0 you should have to manage physicality real well like some bull golf jobs get stuck in be liking one brilliant moment there are two or three run fans around in my line around the moss and it's just fun around carving like half the heart really good play carry all up really good again forward thinking getting up there making a lot forward runs making a few good crosses and we've got one maybe two One was a shotgun out to safe on feet for feet. Second one right at the end of the half, big high leaping across to the back potion. From the McKenzie upmarks, shoot it a target, the heads over. It's the only nil nil, but yeah, it's been enjoyable and I think we'll we should pick up one in the second half. Half time here, nil-nil. And I think we've probably unfortunate not to be a goal up. Mackenzie should be bearing that header towards the end of the first half. ⁓ there's a looping cross and I think he's just timed it wrong and he's got underneath the header and it's gone over the bar rather than I'd expect him with his aerial ability to probably finish that so I'll say on the balance of play probably should be a goal up at the break. has some decent chances as well with Pale firing down the middle, keep him making a good save, albeit down the centre of the goal. ⁓ and then Silla ⁓ shot just wired from a quickly well-worked free kick as well. Mainly positives for me so far. I thought Bristol Rovers probably started the game the better in the first five, ten minutes it took us about that time to kind of get into the game and wake up. I think our build-up play's been really good, really patient so far. We're not looking to just hit long balls. We're looking to play it around the back and see if we can create them openings. So, yeah, all positive so far. We carry on like we do. I fancy us to nick the wind. Bristol rovers probably look most threatening from ⁓ their throws, they're absolutely launching a javelin of a ball ⁓ from quite far out and it's reaching our area. But to be fair, Ollie Wright's done well to come and play any balls in this kind of six yards area. So quite comfortable on that front. Beckles has been solid. Not been a bad fall so far. I'd say the only kind of minor criticism is I think Silla can do a bit more at times. A bit of a hit and miss player, especially with the ball in the air for the start of the first half. The centre backs had him in their pocket a bit, but he's one that's grown in the game. But probably we could do with a little bit more from him, but that's the only slight negative I've got so far. It's currently goal, but it's been a good watch to be fair. Not loads in the way of goal mouth action. Ronan How's come the closest with a snapshot from the edge of the box that was saved by the feet of Brad Young. Defensively, I think we've been absolutely fine. Back three have been solid, and then if anything gets past them, Ollie Wright's come and claim crosses and punch crosses. Only thing for me is James Brothy being out wide means we lose a little bit of creativity in the middle of the park. That's not to say that Mackenzie King and Waldock are not trying to get forward, not trying to break the lines. Waldock particularly has been really good. Just feel it's a similar game to what we saw against Trammere last weekend. Can we have the same impact from the bench with the likes of Will Goodwinning? Gareth McClearly. Yeah, good game, certainly one that we can go and win if we get this right second half. yeah, nil nil half time. pretty even game, but we've we've clearly had the better chances. ⁓ Robbie towards the end of the half had a fantastic free header which he perhaps should have done better with, but it looked like maybe he was you know a bit caught up maybe the wind. certainly didn't head it in a normal way. ⁓ Haynesmith was absolutely fuming that we missed that opportunity on the touchline. But other big chance was Hale's volley that keeps us safe very well. ⁓ so we've had the better chances, ⁓ just haven't put them away. ⁓ Bristol Rovers at the moment. Thankfully other than maybe a one one cross from Bobby Cambo then really causes too much to be worried about the defence doing well. Campbell obviously getting a bit of stick for his lack of ability to stay on his feet. But overall we're doing alright. I just feel that without Brofi up in that kind of ten roll we're look we're just lacking a little something. on the creativity front, ⁓ we're kinda relying on balls in behind the the left wing back to create chances for ourselves. but I think if we keep it going like we are, and maybe hope for a bit of magic from one of our subs, ⁓ I I think we can nick this. ⁓ so let's keep it going. Up the Jills. Side is right the byline. Jills turning the screw here. Can we get ahead towards this? It's gone very deep, but Profi's gonna pick it up. We he throws the left foot, but he's gonna take up his right shot towards go! And it's in the back of the net! And Jills have taken the lead through Brofi! He must have taken a deflection. I don't know because another keeper saw that one late, so it might have taken a nick on the way through. Time on ball. What's that man? James Prophy again. Prophey, honestly, he is mustard. I'd go just to say we've got a midfielder, King, Dat, Alvarez, all that lot. He is our best player of our mile. What a f<unk>ing sign. Excuse my friend. Gilles take the lead, it's 1-0 and it's James Brof. Deep cross from the right hand side, finds his way to Broken, cuts inside the floorbank, swerves it with his right foot, into the bar corner. We are 1-0 up. 72 on the clock inside the priestfield. He's absolutely bouncing in the raid and then Jill's lead curtising a brilliant strike from James Brofee. Game management since then's been really good. If we can see out the next 20 minutes, this could be a big win. By Jill's coming forward there. Brother's picked it up. We know he can do some magic, but he gets it over to Freeman on this right hand side. Look at on the box, he does, and it's a shot towards go! And Jills have got the second goal! And it's Kendall who scores for Jills. He come on as a substitute, and Jills have doubled their lead. ⁓ That's 2-0. That's game over. Abla 2. It's 2-0. Kendall and it is his first touch after coming in as a substitute. Grofi picks the ball up on the left hand side, drives inside, finds Nick Freeman out on the play and sway, sweeps the ball into the box. And Kendall just attacks the near post, sweeps it in. No one even saw him coming in. It is Gillingham to Bristol Rovers now. Could be a chance here for Jills as Goodwin's picked up on the left hand side. Can he make the right pass? Tori has a goal for Kendall. Yes! And Jills have got a third! And it looked like there was a foul of the build up from Goodwin, but the riff has said no! Play on! Goodwin! Play on because guess what? Kendall's in the box! And it did take a second bite of the cherry because Young did manage to get a save actually in Verdes to him, but it fell nicely to Kendall. And he's got he's just come on, he's just come on the pitch and he's got two goals. This goal has been allowed to stand. Long ball forward from Ollie Wright. And let's be completely honest: Will Goodwin absolutely flattens their defender. He's not even watching the ball, barges straight into it, flattens him and runs off with the ball. Everyone on the pitch knows it's a foul, except for the man in yellow holding the whistle. He doesn't give a free kick. Goodwin can't believe he's like, scampers down the left, rolls it across the centre. Sheldon Kendall sticks it in at the second attempt. Keeper made a great save from the first one, actually. But he's on hand to tap in the ⁓ the rebound. It is three-nil. Steve Evans is going to be absolutely doing his pieces on the touchline. But yeah, Shillingham three. Bristol Rome is now. Didn't I say it's gonna be a tight score? I'll take this, all though not 3-0, wrapped up, probably was a foul, but I don't give a damn. Happy Saturday, Jill Sands. Longboard for the top rear could be good wins again. Go and chills have ⁓ goodwin! Goodwin, goodwin, good win. He should have been a fourth goal to really call it the goodwin. DJ who just played three is the magic number. It's three points for Gillingham, three nil against Bristol Rovers, three wins on the spin. Outstanding performance. Outstanding performance against a really talented side who've got plenty going forward. But going into this, it looked like they were a team that could be got out of the back, and we've got at them, and we've scored three times. Now the third one, decidedly dodgy. Referee definitely should have given a foul against Will for winning the build up. We'll take it. The other two goals, all totally ⁓ fair enough about board, a very very good win to Gareth Baines and those chills who are flying on the table now. I think we're going to start waking up to this chill side and we still have loads of players missing. Things are changing here in Breason and it is so good to see a team that's fun to watch, that are fighting for each other and. And in Harry Walgott, we had the man of the match, absolutely outstanding until he came off with about 10-15 minutes to go, played in an advanced midfield role, best player on the pitch by a country mile. ⁓ Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow. Forget what I said at the start about taking a draw. We were absolutely dominant for the majority of that game. 3-0 win. If we were being greedy, that good win chance at the end would have been a deserved pull, but it's absolutely brilliant to a man. A half-time kind of ports. I had a negative, well not negative, slightly negative criticism about Scylla. I thought we yucked his game, second period, look lively. I don't know what he's gonna do. I don't think he knows what he's gonna do, and I think that's the beauty of him and maybe the frustration at times. But absolutely fantastic three points, brilliant atmosphere, really good day, and it's a brilliant positive performance to build upon now going into next week. I love days like this, this is what the Jill should be about. Just ⁓ walking back to the car now after witnessing another very, very encouraging Jills performance. That's three wins in a row now, isn't it? Umbeaten in six and we're starting to look a really decent side with ⁓ Priestfield becoming a bit of a fortress. ⁓ second half, I thought we were dominant to be honest. ⁓ fully deserving of the win. ⁓ slightly controversial ⁓ third call, wasn't it? But ⁓ you know you played to the whistle and ⁓ they were guilty of not doing it. ⁓ very funny to see Steve Evans' antics ⁓ giving the ⁓ the officials the benefit of his experience. I think what showed in the second half was the benefit of pace at this level. we really did look very threatening every time we went forward. And as I say, it's a very, very encouraging run against this. We are, I think, unrecognisable from the shambles that ended last season. And I think this is a result beating what was the second place team that will make the rest of the division sit up and take notice. Very, very encouraging going into a difficult away game next week at York who have a phenomenal home record. But if we play like we did today, there's every chance we can walk away with some decent result. That was phenomenal. Not many teams beat Steve Evans football teams, even less dismantle Steve Evans teams. First goal, brilliant again from James Brophy. The lad does not do tap-ins and Sheldon Kendall, what a performance from the bench. The first goal is an absolutely stunning finish with the ball slightly from behind him, and he gets a bit lucky with a rebound for the second coming back to him. But That second half is as good as I'd seen us play for many a season. And you know, if you're walking out the ground and Jack's smiling and laughing, it's been a good day. Full-time and a real convincing 3-0 win in the end. That for me is a statement win. That is much better than Tramre last week. And even I would say Watchdown, because Bristol Rose are much better side. ⁓ to be fair Rowers didn't offer a lot today and I think that's down to our defence. You might look at the stats and think they've had a few shots and Nolly Wright's had some saves to make but generally they were all straight at him. Defence were brilliant. James Bophree slotted in OK, we lost his creativity at the top end but it didn't really matter in the end. Lovely goal as well, we were right behind it on his right foot again. At this rate he's going to have a goal of the season competition just to himself. ⁓ Harry Waldock, again, I keep saying that he was so so good today. The energy but you know, he loses the ball, he wins it back. It's it's good, you don't see any heads drop anymore. Will McKenzie looking a lot more convincing now, a few games into the season. Nick Freeman, you know, he get doesn't get a lot of praise, but he's been one of the young sung heroes. Again, really, really solid. I mean Silah I think First half in particular, he was really really good again, won almost everything. Reminds me of a cleverer version of Mamma Sadivi. ⁓ Second half, obviously, subs come on. McCleary did his bit, could have got a goal in the end as well, I think it was offside, but he was unlucky with that. And then Sheldon Kendall who is probably being thought of to play Tuesday in the cup, hasn't started yet for us, I don't think. ⁓ comes off a bench, it's ⁓ his first goal, but yeah, his first goal, brilliant, brilliant finish. Second one, he probably should score the first attempt, but he scores a second, so what does that matter? And Will Goodwin, bless him, he just needs a goal. He was so close in the end. But Freak was real convincing win, 100% the best performance of the season. Well Yeah, that was alright, wasn't it? Yeah, fantastic performance, second half. for every every single player. Putting a real shift. ⁓ Harry Walldup, my words. That young man needs to calm down a bit 'cause otherwise he ain't gonna be at this club for much longer. With performances like that. It's just it's it's just his effort and his running. yeah, he made a real difference, I thought, in that second half. a a constant constant menace for them. And well yeah, Sheldon came off the bench, fantastic little cameo from him. A bit like Gareth McLeary, didn't do a lot else did he? That's tongue in cheek for some Jills fans on Twitter. but yeah, it's just great. I mean ⁓ defensively was so solid. I mean Bristol Rose got a bit disappointed. They weren't much ⁓ threat going forward. I thought the eleven for them is probably their one player. You felt when he got the ball maybe something might happen for them. But otherwise I thought it we we looked reasonably comfortable. Ollie Wright did really well and a lot of came forward, punched or or claimed the ball which really made the defence secure. That's what a proper goalie does. And it's one I don't something we haven't had for a very, very long time. It's a shame he at the moment he's just alone he but Yeah, I mean ⁓ great great performance. And ⁓ I thought Scylla, young lad, okay, physically he struggled a bit, but I thought as the game went on with him, he put in a real shift and became more and more of a menace. And yeah, did well as well. And it was just a fantastic performance within with all your subs are coming off and and ⁓ putting a shift. It makes a real difference. we just look at different sides, I just feel ⁓ whisper quietly but we look really we do look pretty pretty darn good. I just feel in tight games we've now got players with quality who are gonna make that one bit of difference and open the game up and get in the lead as we did with the first goal and then we've got the impact off the bench to stretch teams, ⁓ stretch the game and and really hurt them on the break. It i it it's really set up nicely for us. And we just look so assured. Things when balls are dropping down in midfield, you've got Eli Keener's chest it, put a touch on it, then play it casually. how many times in recent years have we had who would just then clear it or get it away with no composure and I feel that's what it is. It's it's composure that that certain players have got that we've just not seen for a long time. People say experience, but for me it's that that composure. That lack of panic in certain moments and situations. And yeah, and at the moment all our home grandboys are really feeding off that and ⁓ they're showing similar elements in their game which is fantastic to see so I won't be at York sadly next weekend but hey I think we're gonna give them a game. ⁓ I think it will be a tough game and you know, f fully expected maybe we we might struggle but hey I think we're gonna give them a game and let's see what happens but ⁓ I'm quite happy with this we're just ticking along. Let's tickle on, let's not get too giddy. Bristol Rows were poor in that game, so let's not get too giddy, but we are ticking along nicely. And normal continue. Up the jewels.