Pre-Season Matches Thread 2016/2017

[fan_of_mulligan]

https://twitter.com/btfcnews/status/755101634842288128

Billericay Town V Gillingham is A 7.45PM Kick Off, £5 ticket price and Gillingham are expected to name A First Team Squad for the match tomorrow night.

[Kent_UckyFriedGills]

Gills beat Concord Rangers 2-1,with a last minute goal from Knott.Gills were behind,but Norris equalised and Knot scored a late penalty.A shame that Garmston & Morris have picked up injuries in training.The rumour going around is Morris`s injury is quite serious.

[Kent_UckyFriedGills]

Gillingham drew 1-1 at Billericay Town.Dack scored Gills goal,but Billericay equalised almost straight after.A blow that Wagstaff went off injured.

[fan_of_mulligan]

My Thoughts on Billericay Town Verses Gillingham.............

I got A Team Sheet from Wednesday Night's Match and these are the squad numbers listed on the Team Sheet,,,,,, 1. Stuart Nelson, 2. Ryan Jackson, 3 Marcus Williams (Trailist), 5 Max Ehmer, 8 Jake Hessenthaler, 9. Rory Donnelly, 11 Billy Knott, 14. Lee Martin, 16. Emmanuel Osadebe, 17. Joe Quigley, 20. Darren Oldaker SUBS: 7. Scott Wagstaff, 13 Tom Hadler - actually say's Toni Hadler on the squad sheet - 15. Jamie Harren (Trialist), 19. Luke Norris, 24. Josh Lelan (Trialist), 33. Mark Bryne and 44. Josh Wright - NOT LISTED - 23. Bradley Dack, 10. Cody McDonald, and a few trialists.

Having arrived at Billericay Town very early, we spoke to a few Billericay Town Supporters and Dulwich Hamlet always bring a lot of supporters to The New Lodge, but Billericay Town's main rivals are Enfield Town and that game tends to see a higher then usual league attendance, Chris Whelpdale started his career at Billericay Town and Justin Edinburgh was Player / Manager at The New Lodge, so there are a few connections between Gillingham and Billericay Town and £5 to get in is a good price for A Pre-Season Friendly, I also spoke with Josh Wright who was optimistic about Gillingham's chances for the up and coming season, and he was looking forward to the games against Charlton Athletic, Millwall, MK Dons and Southend United, as there will be more supporters going to these matches home and away, and the players love playing in-front of a full crowd.

I sat in The Family Stand right on the halfway line and it took a while to suss out who was who and I wrote down as many notes as possible, and in The Second Half A Reporter for The Local Billericay Town Paper was trying to suss out A Few Gillingham Players who weren't listed on the squad sheet, like Cody McDonald and Bradley Dack, but I was at a complete loss when it came to the trialists playing in Gillingham's Defence, The PA System wasn't working and I never saw anything announced on Twitter regarding the attendance at The New Lodge, my guess would by roughly between 200 - 250, not many supporters bother with pre-season friendlies, and some supporters would have gone on Wednesday Night had Gillingham played against Faversham Town for example.

GILLINGHAM CHANCES FIRST HALF.......

A Good strike from Jake Hessenthaler from distance was easy for Jack Giddens to gather as Jake Hessenthaler's effort on goal was hit with plenty of power, but straight at The Billericay Town Goalkeeper.

Darren Oldaker impressed me with his range of passing against Billericay Town, Oldaker usually plays as A Central Attacking Midfielder for The Youth Team but he played in a deeper role which allowed Oldaker to switch the ball to both flanks as he kept picking out Ryan Jackson and Marcus Williams in wide area's, he made one good defensive header from A Long Throw to clear the ball away from danger, and with the exception of Stuart Nelson, Darren Oldaker was one of the best players on the pitch for Gillingham and he is one player to watch out for over the coming season.

The short passing and movement between Billy Knott, Lee Martin, Joe Quigley, Darren Oldaker and Jake Hessenthaler was nice on the eye despite the playing surface not being conducive for passing football, but often our final pass / final cross was lacking after the succession of passes have created a decent attacking move for The Gills, I would have liked to have seen Marcus Williams and Ryan Jackson whip in crosses towards Rory Donnelly and Joe Quigley, especially with Joe Quigley giving Gillingham that physical presence in the final third that Gillingham were lacking throughout The 2015 / 2016 season.

Rory Donnelly plays the ball through to Joe Quigley, who shows quick movement for a big striker and fires a early effort on goal just wide of Jack Giddens right hand post.

Another good passing move for Gillingham down the left side of the pitch created another decent goal-scoring opportunity, Billy Knott and Joe Quigley were both involved in the build up and Rory Donnelly has hit a well struck curling effort wide of Jack Giddens Left Hand Post.

Ryan Jackson has used his pace to get in and behind Billericay Town's Left Back on a number of occasions, and Ryan Jackson has either pulled the ball back or seen his cross blocked and deflected out of play for A Corner Kick - Ryan Jackson also picked out Rory Donnelly with a deep cross to the far post and Rory Donnelly's well struck volley is fired over Jack Giddens crossbar.

Gillingham came close to opening the scoring right before half time as Rory Donnelly headed Billy Knott's in-swinging cross straight at Jack Giddens and The Billericay Town Goalkeeper didn't know too much about that and the hosts were able to clear there lines.

BILLERICAY TOWN CHANCES FIRST HALF......

Stuart Nelson had to tip a looping header from Ricky Sappleton over the crossbar, and from the resulting corner kick Billericay Town almost scored but Max Ehmer was well positioned to clear the ball off the goal-line and the follow up effort was driven over Stuart Nelson's crossbar - set plays looked to be one of Billericay Town's strong points, and a weak point for Gillingham, as Concord Rangers scored a free header from A Corner Kick against Gillingham on Tuesday Night.

Emmanuel Osadebe slipped at the wrong time to allow Billericay Town's Striker through on goal, thankfully the chance was wasted and blasted over the crossbar.

Billericay Town whipped in a dangerous cross towards the near post and Stuart Nelson had to turn the ball around the post as the sunlight affected Stuart Nelson's vision.

Stuart Nelson was quick off his line to deny a one on one effort with his legs, and from the resulting corner kick Stuart Nelson was quick off his line to gather the ball.

GILLINGHAM CHANCES SECOND HALF......

Mark Byrne has crashed Billeriacy Town's crossbar with a brilliantly struck free kick from twenty five yards out in what was Gillingham's best chance of The Second Half.

And after all those goal-scoring opportunities for the hosts, it was Gillingham who opened the scoring after seventy six minutes, Cody McDonald managed to get in and behind Billericay Town's Defence and intercept the ball and Cody McDonald pulls the ball back to Bradley Dack who scored the opening goal of the game with a composed first time finish - is that going to be final goal that Bradley Dack scores for Gillingham ??? - time will tell on that one, but Gillingham have taken an undeserved lead.

Luke Norris had two attempts late on to try and find the winner for The Gills, a acrobatic effort from Luke Norris went over Jack Giddens crossbar, and a shot on the turn was deflected out of play off A Billericay Town Defender for A Corner Kick, from the resulting corner kick and Gillingham created another decent goal-scoring chance as Bradley Dack's dangerous in-swinging cross is headed just wide by Number 22, and Bradley Dack whipped in a dangerous in-swinging cross / shot from A Free Kick down the left side of the pitch which had to be tipped over by Jack Giddens - Gillingham dominated the final ten minutes, we just couldn't make a breakthrough.

BILLERICAY TOWN CHANCES SECOND HALF......

Gillingham's make shift defence - Josh Lelan, Jamie Harran, and two others not listed on the team-sheet - were in Gillingham's Back Four in The Second Half, and you could see the confusion and lack of understanding that the four trialists had as a defensive unit, as a long throw into Gillingham's Penalty Area was allowed to bounce and Ricky Sappleton headed the ball over Stuart Nelson's crossbar.

Billericay Town almost scored after a horrendous error from Jamie Harran, the trialists pass out-wide was intercepted by Ricky Sappleton who was one on one with Stuart Nelson and The Billericay Town Striker saw his scuffed effort on goal hit the outside of the post and that was a huge let off for Gillingham, with Gillingham hitting the crossbar and Billericay Town hitting the post, this game was starting to open up, and this match is more end to end then it was in the first half.

After that chance went begging, the hosts had a succession of goal-scoring opportunities and they were denied every-time by Stuart Nelson as Stuart Nelson made a reaction stop with his legs for the first save, two shots on target heading towards the top corner had turned past the post by Stuart Nelson, a driven effort from distance which was hit with plenty of power and accuracy had to be parried by Stuart Nelson, and the fourth of these saves was a point blank reaction save when we all thought that Billericay Town were going to score, four trialists in the back four meant that there was mis-communication and the hosts really did benefit from the long ball over the top, Stuart Nelson wasn't happy with the defending in-front of him, and it is because of Stuart Nelson that Gillingham are not losing this match by 4-5 goals.

But Gillingham's lead only lasted two minutes because Josh Oyinsah's shot on the turn was unstoppable and had Josh Oyinsah scored that goal for Billericay Town during the season then that goal would win Billericay Town's Goal Of The Season Award, stunning strike and that was the only way Stuart Nelson was going to be beaten on Wednesday Night's performance.

[fan_of_mulligan]

EMMANUEL OSADEBE AT CENTRE BACK..... - Emmanuel Osadebe has the pace, he is comfortable in possession of the ball and Osadebe is quick enough to make recovery challenges so he has some of the attributes required to be A Centre Back, but having spoken to Emmanuel Osadebe at The NoirCat Presentation Evening, Osadebe wants to play as A Centre Attacking Midfielder and he wants to be more involved in scoring and creating goals, I am sure that Justin Edinburgh is looking to sign two more centre backs to provide cover and competition for Max Ehmer and Adedeji Oshilaja, as I am sure that Justin Edinburgh is well aware of the fact that there is No Emergency Loan System this season, and because of this, Gillingham, and every other Football League Club, will need to carry a much bigger squad for the up and coming season.

TRAILISTS - Of The Trialists who played against Billericay Town on Wednesday Night, Marcus Williams impressed me the most, although we have just signed Paul Konchesky so there is no need for A Left Back now, but it is very difficult and very harsh to judge players on forty five minute appearances because these players are trying hard to impress and earn themselves a professional contract and when you are throwing four trialists together in a back four, then these players will have never played together before so they won't have the cohesion of a solid defensive unit, hence why Billericay Town created so many goal-scoring opportunities in The Second Half.

PRE-SEASON PREPARATIONS!!!!!!!

I am concerned that we're giving the players forty five minute runouts against Concord Rangers and Billericay Town on The 19th and 20th of July when you normally rotate the entire squad at half time for pre-season matches in late June, then build the players up to playing for sixty minutes and then build the players up to play for the full ninety minutes, how on earth can Gillingham build the players up to sixty minutes and then giving the first team ninety minutes in just three games against Barnet, Dartford and Leyton Orient ??? - I know there was A Behind Closed Doors Match Yesterday (Thursday) and work is being done on the training ground, but five pre-season matches isn't a lot to get the team ready for the start of The 2016 / 2017 season.

A lack Of Match Fitness and Match Sharpness is a concern when your seeing most clubs playing there sixth / seventh pre-season friendly this week, when Gillingham have just played there third match, I am also surprised that Gillingham haven't arranged matches against Kent Non League Clubs like Faversham Town, Ashford United or Folkestone Invicta, where the attendances for these games would of been higher and more supporters would have been able to go to these friendlies, had any Gillingham Supporters left work in Canterbury at 5PM, they would have struggled to get to Billericay Town in time for kick off because the tail-back at Dartford Crossing was dreadful, and on the way back, all the traffic was moved into one lane and this added time on to our journey, although at least we didn’t have to pay for The Dart Charge after 10PM.

Wednesday Night at Billericay Town was my first pre-season friendly and it is good to be back watching Gillingham play again as this was my first match since Gillingham's 2-1 defeat against Millwall on the final day of The 2015 / 2016 season, Euro 2016 helped with the lack of football over the summer and the players cannot wait for the season to start, and I am sure that everyone on here cannot wait for the matches against Southend United at Roots Hall, with so many changes on Wednesday Night and not being familiar with The Billericay Town Players, it is harder to do A Write Up for this match then a write up for A League or Cup Game, although I am confidant that I have covered everything here, Billericay Town ended ninth in The Ryman Premier League Last Season with Seventy One Points, so I am sure they will be looking to reach the playoffs this time round and I wish Billericay Town all the best for the up and coming season.

[Kent_UckyFriedGills]

Gills lost 2-0 to Barnet today.We still lack defenders as it was clear again today with Osadebe at CB.Dartford next,and hopefully some goals for us.

[gillsfan1066]

No defense and we can't score, 12 midfielders on the squad , no one coming after our best player and giving us millions (someone pull Scally off the ledge I am sure he is going to jump ) hell I can't wait for the season to begin, whats the talk on promotion around town ,everyone full of optimism ?

[Goalmouth]

I'm never full of optimism, Chicago, but I'm consoling myself with the thought that whenever we have a good pre-season the the league season is generally a struggle, and vice versa. Not sure about playing pre-season friendlies on non-league pitches and I'm concerned about the lengthening injury list before the season starts but, that's life... Mind you, at least we didn't travel all the way to China to find a crap pitch. Hopefully Jed will produce a couple of good signings before next weekend.

[Garawa]

Ha ha very true about the pitches. Not sure what the thinking is with friendlies, must be a good reason because I would imagine we would have had plenty of teams wanting a game against us (we always play Faversham and were due one against Maidstone weren't we)?

[Goalmouth]

When I was younger I looked forward to friendlies against teams from higher leagues but these days they all seem to jet off to Asia or the States. I suppose if we played Maidstone we'd know what the pitch was like, but forgive me, I prefer watching football played on grass.