Latest / Blood, Sweat & Gills / Voice Notes: Gillingham 1-4 Grimsby Town
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- Simon Head: Welcome to Jill's 365 Voice Notes. Please leave your message after the tone. Just got out of the car, very rainy Medway today. Walking to the ground, T nouses in. A couple of changes have been made by Gareth Ainsworth. No surprise in the middle of the park that Ethan Coleman drops out. He's not played a lot of football recently. New dad, Robbie McKenzie, replaces him. And we'll partner Amani Little. And in attack, Tom Eaves drops to the bench, having got through 80 minutes on Tuesday night, and he's replaced by Gareth McCleary. So it looks like we're gonna have to change our approach, certainly in the early stages of the game. But it's a solid side, there's options on the bench, Bradley Duck returns as well. If we do the basics, earn the right to play, there's no reason why we cannot win this football match. What a lovely day for it. as I walk into a soggy priestfield. thankfully it's not as windy as Hitler's anticipated to be. Which might mean we're just gonna get a wet a soggy wet afternoon's football for the players anyway. Whilst I wait at the back of the rain amend. yeah let's hope we can build on Tuesday night. I think we got every opportunity to. I find it quite interesting that Grimsby were odds or odds on to win today. much better odds, considering their run of form and I think I read that they've got about seven injuries in defence. So I hope we kind of don't hold back. I hope we have a go. Try and exploit those potential weaknesses in their defence. They're certainly not going to be, hopefully, pushovers. I think they proved that when they came to Priestwell last year, albeit we were shocking. But you know, they've got some good players, particularly Green. I think Green's a cracking player. ran a show at Pre-Swell last year, so. Yeah, I think it will be tough. if our defence though kinda cut out some of the little silly errors that have been creeping in, I think we can do well here. That win will be great. That's four points from six. And we keep ticking along. And all the time you keep doing that every couple of games or so. I think it's it's good it's good results. to be obtaining in the league, particularly when they still got a lot of injuries. So yeah, I think it'll be good. Hopefully Rob Robbie will definitely be back today. Maybe Daky could maybe be fit enough to make the bench and just give us a few, a couple more options really from the bench if we are needing to make some changes today. But yeah, I'm quite I'm quite looking forward to today. I think it could be a good game. I think we're gonna play well. But I was thinking Grimsville would play well as well. So I should hope we come out on the right side after the result. Up the Jills. Half hour till kickoff Jills against Grimsby today in a wet and slightly windy afternoon. I think it's gonna be a bit of an interesting one today. I'm not expecting much of a spectacle in all honesty based on our performance the other day. obviously we need to be a lot better because we didn't test the opposition keeper on Tuesday night. it's good to see that we've got a bit more experience on the bench now in terms of Dak and Mackenzie coming back into the starting lineup with Coleman dropping out. So that gives us options if we're chasing the game or trying to grab that winner from a drawing position. my prediction for the game is probably the same as the other night, one or draw but hoping we can nick something and Yeah, have some positive positivity after what's not been a bad October in the grand scheme of things, but it'd definitely be important to get that three points, especially with it being a home game and the recent two results, only picking up a point from the past two, so yeah, three points not a necessity. But I think it will be very well welcomed today. Two words to strike fear in the heart of every Jills fan, Josh Andrews. Interesting lineup with no Eads, McCleary in. I mean, is it one up top? I mean we've been playing one on top all season, haven't we? so bit if it's Hale or McCleary. Let's just see what happens, we'll see. So he's played the full nearly the full nine see on Tuesday, so maybe we'll it's being cautious with him. We don't want another injury. let's see. maybe a tactical master stroke. got more players going forward if you can get the ball. Let's see what happens. what a finish that is by Rogers. dear, dear. Conceded the first goal of the game, an absolute thunderbolt for Rad 30 yards. As soon as it left his foot, it was destined for the goal. Nothing I could do about that. Lovely clean hit. Really it was a poor defensive header. And you could see him building up for a shot and knew it was coming. And I said it's just nothing you could do about it. Lovely hit. One nil down, all strength. Not the start we hoped for. terrific strike, albeit via deflection. There's nothing Bolly could have done about it. If it maybe if it hadn't been deflected, he might have got somewhere near it. But yeah, let's say we take some shots just like they're playing it in this stunner weather. 25 minutes gone in this one and we've not been great. Again, I'm not saying it's as bad as Ackrington, but it's not far off it. The goal's a good hit with the deflection. Alright, that's fine. But we just keep doing the same things. We keep trying to play short, we're going nowhere. Then we just shell it, we've got no target, man. And we keep gifting them chances. I think they've had three or four shots, and I think three of them have been from us. Need to be better all over the pitch. Blocks, takes it quickly to McCleary. Can we do something here to get on level turns? McCleary's in the cut inside, looking at pass the ball. Hey, that's a great ball! And it's in the back of the net! That's the kind of liquid football we want to see. And that's the kind of ball that Hale needs. Equaliser here for the Jills, it's a lovely finish. Rogan Hale, showing what a quality marksman he is. Tucks the ball away nicely for a lovely three ball from McCleary. Back in the game. One-one. Lovely little pass through by McClearick. Unbelievable. Finish all hell. We've been better. We've been better last. I'd say fifteen minutes. they're still a big fret Grimsley when they come forward, but they're they're not so great at the back. So we've just got to keep being positive and keep going. Ain't it amazing what happens when you get the ball on the deck and play football? Brilliant from Gareth McCleary. Beats his man, gets his head up. Little slide roll passing for Ronan now. Brilliant finish across Pym and into the far corner. Shortly afterwards, Andy Smith should have scored. From being really poor for half an hour and being behind, we could be in front. It is half time. It is 1-1. Gillingham's starting really poorly. Grisby Town looking the side with all the energy and an absolute rocket from about 25 yards from their centre half. Beats Oli Wright, all ends up. Absolute stunner of a strike. Gareth Ainsworth talked about we don't concede worldie goals. They're normally really poor defensive mishaps. This one was an absolute screamer from all the 25 yards. Credit to them. One-nell up and looking good for it. Had a bit of pressure in the sort of the middle portion at a half. Great ball across the box from I think it was Gareth McCleary. Somehow Ronan Hale manages to completely airshot about eight yards from goal. Would have been a clear equaliser, but he either saw it late or he just got it all wrong in terms of the speed of the ball. Completely misjudged it, missed a golden opportunity, and it just looked a little bit scrappy from us after that. Just lots of long aimless stuff going forward, relying on a lot of chasing of lost causes. But eventually a piece of quality got to level Clearly cuts in from the right hand side on his left foot, rolls a lovely ball in for Ronan Hale, who almost when he's back to goal, just knows where the net is, knows where the posts are, turns, hits it low with power through the legs of Christy Pym. Into the back of the net. It is one-one and we've had a bit of pressure towards the end that first half as well. The weather conditions are atrocious, the wind is blowing, the rain is coming down, and it is only gonna get worse in this second half. Gusts of 40 miles an hour are forecast from about 4:30 this afternoon, five o'clock. So by the time this game gets to the final stages, it is gonna be an absolute hurricane at Presuel Stadium. Can we get a win in the second half? Tom Eaves maybe to come off the bench. We'll have to see. How goes, but so far at half time it is Chillingham one, Grimsby Town one. Won't lie, I'll feared for us after about 25 to 30 minutes. Kept doing the same things, kept causing our own problems, kept getting pinned back in our own third. And going forward, we offered absolutely nothing. Like I said earlier, the goal has an element of luck for me because it takes a deflection, which I believe takes it away from Ollie Wright, albeit is a very good hit. But going forward, we were absolutely appalling. We kept giving the ball away, we kept laying ourselves into trouble. But something changed after about half an hour. We scored a really good equaliser, combination of Gareth McCleary and Ronan Howe. And then Andy Smith perhaps should have put us in front as we ended. ended the half better. Yeah, all to play for in the second half. Halftime here at Greesfield. It's one-all. Probably a fair reflection of the game. I think Grimsby works our keeper more than we'd work their keeper. Wright's pulled off a couple of very decent saves. I'm still not convinced that the formation is working. I'm not quite clear what McClear his position is. I don't think he's had a great game to be perfectly honest, other than the three-ball for Hales goal. For me, the game is by Passing Robert Mackenzie. And you could argue Mackenzie and Little are in the wrong positions. I think Mackenzie should be further back and Little further forward. I think there will be changes to the formation in the second half. Not an easy day-to-play football. Rain, wind, and I think the conditions are playing a part. I think we can go on and win this. But I think there's gonna be some changes needed to the personnel and maybe the formation as well. One all at half time here, and considering the first half hour or so, very fortunate to be going in, level at the break. Grimsby for me could have been two nil up prior to our goal, made some terrible errors in possession in regards to giving the ball away. Freeman guilty of it. and for me the Grimsley player is it's dropped to one of theirs about 25 yards out. Open goal for me. He's made an extra pass where he could have just clipped it into an empty net, in my opinion. but yeah, the goal from us really well works. Good ball from McCleary. pass into the channels, into Hale, and it's a brilliant finish to be fair. But even after that, Wright's had to get down to his near post and make a good save. from a low driven effort again after we've given away possession. But yeah, I'll definitely take a draw the way that we're playing at the moment. When we've shown some urgency, I think we've actually looked quite lively, but the majority of the players have been predictable. It's going back to the centre backs or to right and it's being clipped up into attacking areas and we're not getting much luck. But we keep doing the same thing. So I think if we can play the points and channels, get the ball down and have some urgency then we've got half a chance if we do what we've done for half hour that game then we're gonna be banging trouble second half. for me standout player from a deals perspective is Daly. I think he's been fantastic so far, defensively sound when he's had the ball at his feet. he's looked good as well, bought it out of the air a few times so Quet windy, it seems both teams' tactics at the moment is to try and whip the ball in at corners. Profi's hit the ball with one. One of the Grimsley players has had one tipped onto the bar bar right, so weather conditions might prove the main difference, second half. interesting half. Absolutely disgusted with our fans booing off the fifteen minutes when we were struggling to get the ball out of the fence because of the the tactics of Grimsley making it difficult. Once we finally worked out what to do, we're getting through it. there's still a massive threat on the break come gonna come out of Scrimsley, but they're gonna be, they've quality players going forward. But they're definitely got out of the ball. I think when we have gone forward and we played some good football up top. We looked like we could get a goal. and that was Braven with the Hale finish, which was sublime. McCleary's got into the game as well. I felt yes, he wasn't much in it. Getting a bit of stick as well. but again he put the put put the ball in for Hale and if he's on the pitch and he keeps doing that. Let's go with it. yeah, I thought I thought Daly had a cracking first half, really good. And I think Swiss having a good game again as well. So that's really positive. let's keep going. Ollie right, I've got to say that save two is four half time. Fantastic save. It did slightly swirm under him and went and obviously went wide, but I honestly I think I think Morris Otterna let that in l last year. I thought it was a superb stop. because that 'cause I mean as Morgan absolutely hit that true. and on a wet day like today that that that's a a very good stop. So yeah, and I think Little's doing well in midfield, he's he's growing into it, Robbie's bombing on, causing a few problems. So yeah, definitely growing into it. let come on fans, let's you know, let's get behind the boys. Let's not be booing off the bloody fifty there. That's a disgrace. let's get support with them and I think we can win this. You've passed his ball forward and little's got to deal with this one, but he's been dispossessed, so there could be a great chance. I think there's gonna be a penalty for Grimsby, and Little again has man, it's just absolute brainder by Little. He's been turned The bloke's making a run into the box and Little has blatantly pulled him. You can see it from the Raymond how blatant it is. 52 minutes on the clock. Obviously we wasn't draping the majority of the first half, but Little is gonna be the reason that we're potentially gonna be going in 2-1 down. absolutely brain dead. I don't get what goes through his head at times, it's just stupidity of the highest order. bit of a delay. But yeah, I I whatever happens, even if Wright saves this, absolutely stupid from Little. It's Morgan with the penalty. I think this is gonna be two on Grimsy, or has Wright got an answer for it. And it's in the back of the net, down the middle. And straight down the middle, two one. Assist Amani Little all day long. Brain dead. What is he actually thinking? 2-1 Grimsby takes his time, delays, puts the ball back down again, straight down the middle, Oddy Wright falls out of the way. Work to do again, having started the second half brightly. I don't know what else to say about Armani Little, unfortunately. Another goal here. And unfortunately it's a Grimsby conversion of a penalty, absolute stone wall penalty. I have not got a clue what Little was doing there. Grabbed hold of his man and just didn't let go. Just mind-blowingly stupid from Little. And Grimsby and L 2-1 up. It's so so disappointing. Frustrating. Wish we'd let go of the player for that. 10-20 seconds earlier and we would have got away with it. From Grimsby coming forward there with looking likely to get the third goal and it's a good plot there. That's gonna be the back of the net and it's 3-0 Grimsby and Jills are just falling apart. Absolutely wove for football from Jills again. Sadly, I think that's now game over. Crimson gets third. It's not great from us again. We get caught down the right, ball comes across, we don't deal with it, gets bundled in. I'm sorry, but subs should have been made earlier to change this game. I'm not sure why they weren't. I'm not blaming that for the goal, but yeah, again, it's just you know it can be too little, too late. 3-1. This Grimsby side have not won an away game all season in six attempts and they're 3-1 up, and it's another poor goal from our point of view. 3-1 down, 27 minutes to play. You probably say this one's over. Not been good enough on the hole. We had a spell for about 15 minutes, end of the first half, and started this second period fairly brightly. But in between that, it's been fairly poor stuff once again. When do we go to the bench? We've got to change it, surely. Well we've got the substitutions. it I don't quite understand it again. Freeman has been taken off. It looks like now it's a maybe a 4-4-2 with Andy Smith. Right back. Sheldon Kennedy coming on for McCleary. I that's the right one. McCleary don't want to go through the game. But Freeman has been one of our better players today. Why not just keep him on and take one of the centre defenders off? But there you go. I'm not the one who makes decisions, am I? That's good work by Grimsby, and he picks it up with two in the centre of the park and put this ball through. That is a fantastic ball, and it's 4-1. And Jills have just capitulated. dear, dear. If it wasn't game over at 3-1, I'm afraid it's game over now at 4-1. A repeat obviously of last season's scoreline, and unfortunately, there's over 20 minutes to go here. Lovely three balls from Grimsby, quarter square, ball tucked away, nothing right could do. It's just words fail. yet another performance and another result, which I just did not see coming. I'm afraid if there was booing at the end of Tuesday night, which I thought was totally unwarranted. I think there's gonna be a lot more booing today. Very, very disappointing. I have no words. 4-1, straight through the middle of us again. Holly right left exposed, simple finish into the corner. Josh Andrews has just come on. We all know how this is gonna end, don't we? Absolutely terrible. Absolutely terrible. McManus got absolutely the wrong side of their guys sliding in really well for the full loads are left which I don't blame them. At 3-1 down, I thought there's no chance we're coming back to it into it at 4-1 down, even more so. I don't don't think it's been great. And I'm not saying it set the tone necessarily, but for me one-all little brain dead decision has cost us in my opinion. Whether it would have panned out the same, we never know. We've not been great in general. But yeah, it's set the tone for me. Absolute disaster class of a second half. Nobody in that second period came out with any credit whatsoever. Didn't see it coming at half time. Said at the break, I thought we'd worked our way back into things, got ourselves on top after equalising, but that was embarrassing. Second period. I'm irny little for the second goal. It's needless, it's lazy. Don't want to talk about him too much, but straight down the tunnel at full time as well. I do not understand. What Gareth Ainsworth sees in someone like that. His character, I think, needs questioning at this point. Goes and hides. Why are you not out there with arrest coming over to the Rainamend? Anyway, rant over. Need to see a big improvement at Shrewsby next week because that wasn't good enough. dear. What a grim afternoon it ended up being. 4-1. Didn't really see that coming. We had two really good potential chances, McManus at 1 0 and 2 1. So in I d I don't think it's it we end up being a 4-1. it certainly won't maybe a 4-2. But dear, Delo I kind of didn't feel it was too bad. I think I might be the only maniac who thinks that, but It it didn't feel horrific. I think that's because of what's happened in the last few years when we've completed down tools and you know I I feel that could that would have been a five or six or worse last year or the year before. but the team carried on trying to go forward and play and fight. It just defensively we just weren't fighting enough and we got picked off a bit too easy by Greensby who were clinical. both for Kieran Greensby and our team 'cause I think for me he just destroys us every time we play them. Yeah, I dunno. everyone crying for subs to be made earlier. Even if they're made earlier whether or not but they came on they did absolutely nothing. So another game where subs didn't make an impact. That's frustrating. and yeah, the armani little dilemma. Not good look that you walk off down a tunnel at all time. Yes, you've been booted by your own fans, but you were the captain of this club and for me it's not a good look. you need to just front it up, take it, whatever stick you get, it kinda sums up that it's gone away and hidden in the dressing room at full time. And I think I'll leave it on that note. Onwards and upwards, maybe. Hopefully. Just got back into the car. Thoroughly wet, thoroughly cold, thoroughly miserable. History repeats itself. We lose again to Grimsby at home 4 1. Whilst I don't like to hear booing, I don't agree with it. And I thought on Tuesday night. It wasn't justified or warranted. I can understand supporters' frustrations today. You know, those who are still in the ground to witness another resounding defeat. And that's the thing this season, isn't it? We don't lose little. And when we lose, we lose big. Tuesday night, I thought the defeat could largely be explained by our injury crisis. And and you know, make no bones about it, it is an injury crisis. Today It was a contributory factor, but I don't think today is all about the injuries. I I'm afraid I remain an Ainsworth sceptic. I think yet again he's been found to be tactically wanting. Didn't understand that team selection, didn't understand the formation, I don't think it worked. the substitution of Freeman, well Freeman might have been injured, I suppose. I don't get that. Freeman. Best player. Smith at right back. Didn't work, did it? And yet, you know, we're tracing the game, and you know, could he have brought Dak on? I I don't know. turning point for me was the penalty. I'm not a fan of Amani Little and today demonstrated why. I just don't rate him. I don't see what he brings to the side. I think he's a liability. And I actually cheered when he was substituted. You know, probably unfairly, but I'm not in a very charitable mood at the moment. So away to Shrewsbury next week. I don't know what to expect there to be honest. You know, League Two is unpredictable. And as a side at the moment we are equally unpredictable. Aside who can win four one away from home a couple of occasions, and aside who can lose four one at home. I I just I guess you know, words fail, they really do. Seems to me that that problem result was a bit of a false positive in terms of our October curse. We've gone right back down to our normal, dreary, drizzly, blustery way of playing through this Halloween month. And I've got to say there are a few fair weather footballers that are being picked only because of injuries in this Gillingham squad, because I don't think they'll be near this first team if we had a full fit team. Nonetheless, it is very difficult to ignore this week and how poor we have been. Because we have seen this particular squad and lineup with these injuries in place still beat teams and put in a shift and a performance. And it just wasn't there. Not just today, but this whole week. And i if these that there will be a lot of people screaming for Ainsworth's head as a result of a reaction of all of this week gone by and do you know what? Even though I still disagree with it, I get it, I understand it. His time at this club may be in the balance if these results continue, regardless of the injuries that are in place. It's a really tough time at the Jills at the moment because the expectations are still high, but we are still experiencing these kind of performances through this October autumnal months, and that does need to change. Anyway, hopefully, well, our waveform seems to be better at the moment. So hopefully next week we can start picking up some more points, but that home form. Really needs to get back on track.