[ 8 Dec 20 ] Cambridge Utd v GILLS Match Thread (FLT 2)

[Garawa]

- The Gills face their 24th match in 95 days (1 every 3.95 days on average). The first 24 last season were played in 113 days (4.70). Man City have played 18 games this season (4.44) whilst Liverpool have played 20 (5.15).
- The Gills face an away knockout tie in the competition for the first time since they beat Crawley 2-1 in the 2014/15 season. There have been 21 matches played since with only 7 away from home (group games or two-legged ties).
- The Gills haven't met Cambridge Utd since a League Cup meeting in August 2003. The Gills have won 11 of the 18 meetings and a further 2 have ended level.
- There have been just 6 clean sheets in the 18 meetings between the sides with 2 of those coming in a 0-0 back in 1996. There have been 3 games played since then and the Gills have scored twice in each, including the most recent match - a 2-1 win at Cambridge.

19.44 Kick Off [ 4 - 1 - 3 - 2 ]
The Gills make numerous changes and have just 3 outfield substitutes available to use.

20.29
Jack Tucker makes a clearance off the line.

20.30 Half time 0-0 (46:05)

20.46
The second half kicks off.

20.52
15-goal Mullin misses a gift of a chance to put Cambridge ahead by clearing the bar when seemingly certain to score.

20.56
Another chance for Mullin who pokes a shot narrowly wide of Walsh's goal.

20.05
Mullin fires into the side netting from a tight angle.

21.07
Penalty! Jack Tucker concedes a penalty for a foul inside the box.

21.08
GOAL! Cambridge Utd 1-0 Gillingham: Mullins (pen)

21.20
GOAL! Cambridge Utd 2-0 Gillingham: Hannant

21.31
Drysdale clears off the line.

21.33
Cambridge go through on goal with a one-on-one attack and only Walsh to beat but drags the shot wide.

21.34 FULL TIME 2-0 (94:13)

Attendance: 724 (0)
Referee: David Rock
Match Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07PVNG3dflc
Match Report: https://www.skysports.com/football/camb ... ham/439951

[gillsfan1066]

This is now called the Football League Trophy not the Cariboo Cup or whatever it was called, what was it called originally ?

[Garawa]

The Carabao Cup is the League cup. This is the trophy and, despite "lucrative" long-term sponsorship deals, it seems to change monthly! Most remember the Johnstones Paint Trophy but we have had Checkatrade sign a 5 year deal which lasted just 2 years, taking over from them was Leasing.com who signed a 2 or 3 year deal but pulled out this season DURING the competition and it is now the Papa Johns. Far easier to keep calling it as the competition rather than its sponsorship name!

[Garawa]

In the old days Gillsfan it was the Associate Members cup before the various guises of the current one (AutoWindscreens, etc).

[gillsfan1066]

Thank you Sir, so were out of the FA Cup, out of the whatever it is called trophy, are we still in the League Cup ?

[Kent_UckyFriedGills]

I watched on the free pass I won.There wasn’t much in it,in the first half.In the second half Cambridge were the much better team.Without two important clearances,and some poor finishing we would have had a thrashing.We were without 5-6 important players,but Evans gave the players that played an opportunity to make a stake for the Team.Most didn’t take that chance.We’re out of the trophy,so just the league to concentrate on now.

[fan_of_mulligan]

My Thoughts On Cambridge United V Gillingham...........

At the start of the season, The Football League Trophy will be the lowest on the list of priorities with League One, The FA Cup and The League Cup being first, second and third respectively, But as the season has progressed and with Gillingham getting knocked out of The FA Cup and The League Cup, The Football League Trophy goes up the list of priorities and this match against Cambridge United gave Gillingham an opportunity to continue a cup run into 2021, and also, for the players who have not been playing competitive first team football on a regular basis, this match against Cambridge United gave them a chance to try and force themselves into contention to start for Gillingham against Doncaster Rovers and earn themselves a regular spot in the starting line up, unfortunately, those players did not take that opportunity on Tuesday Night, Because Cambridge United won 2-0 against Gillingham and they have progressed into the next round of The Football League Trophy.

And not only did Gillingham lose 2-0, But if Paul Mullin, Leon Davies, Idris El Mizouni and Harvey Knibbs took there chances then Cambridge United could have won 5-0 very comfortably, and that's what hurts the most about Gillingham's 2-0 defeat against Cambridge United, Had Gillingham lost 2-0 and John Akinde, Trae Coyle, Matty Willock, Henry Woods and Alex MacDonald have had there efforts on goal brilliantly saved by Callum Burton and The Cambridge United Goalkeeper had one of those days where he saved everything and Cambridge United took there chances, then you can take some encouraging sign's from the defeat and the players who have not been playing regular first team football have stepped up and put in a very respectable performance, But to lose 2-0, and be fortunate that the score-line wasn't 6-0 or 6-0 to Cambridge United, then losing in that manner is very disappointing.

Especially as a win for Gillingham against Cambridge United would have seen Gillingham collect £40,000 in guaranteed money and a win against Cambridge United would have seen Gillingham progress in The Football League Trophy, the additional finances could have made a huge difference in allowing Gillingham to strengthen the squad in The January Transfer Window, and the players on the fringes of the first team would have put themselves in contention to start for Gillingham either against Doncaster Rovers or Accrington Stanley, I know Steve Evans mentioned that he wasn't interested in this competition, But he would have expected to see a performance from the players and the manner of the defeat against Cambridge United would have made up Evans mind on players on are not getting regular first team minutes, and I think there are a few players on the fringes of the first team squad who are surplus to requirements.

One of those players who is surplus to requirements for me is Matty Willock, Because Matty Willock has made eleven appearances for Gillingham this season, but only four of those appearances have been League One Matches, and all four of those appearances are substitute appearances as well, Robbie McKenzie, Kyle Dempsey and Scott Robertson are ahead of Matty Willock in the pecking order, and I would also say that Alex MacDonald and Henry Woods have both pushed Matty Willock further down the pecking order, I think Matty Willock needs to go somewhere and play regular first team football and go to a club where he knows he will start on a regular basis, Josh Eccles has hardly featured for Gillingham and he may well be sent back to Coventry City in January, And even though Christian Maghoma did not play for Gillingham against Cambridge United, It is looking increasingly likely that Christian Maghoma will move on to another football club when The January Transfer Window Reopens.

I thought Alex MacDonald kept going until the very end, Trae Coyle and John Akinde were not getting much in-terms of service and support, Jack Tucker was very disappointing and he was very poor against Cambridge United, I know Tucker made the goal-line clearance, but his sliding challenge on Idris El Mizouni, which lead to Paul Mullin to open the scoring was a poor challenge, and that goal from Paul Mullin was coming because he had opportunities to stick the ball into the back of the net on multiple occasions prior to that penalty kick being awarded, And had the score-line remained at 1-0 in the closing stages of the match, then Connor Ogilvie and Vadaine Oliver would have come on, But once Cambridge United scored for 2-0, then that was game over and there was no point risking Connor Ogilvie or Vadaine Oliver, and it made more sense to keep both players fresh and rested up for The Doncaster Rovers Game.

I haven't been The Abbey Stadium before so this would have been a new stadium for me to tick off, And it was good to see 724 supporters inside The Abbey Stadium for this Football League Trophy Match as we will hopefully get back to normality and supporters can go to football matches again, But even if every home supporter can go to a home game, I think away supporters is out of the question for The 2020 / 2021 Season and away fans will not be allowed to go to football matches this season, But whilst it was good to see supporters inside The Abbey Stadium, It wasn't good to see Gillingham lose against Cambridge United, especially in the manner of how this match was lost, Because Gillingham have lost 3-2 to Exeter City, and 2-0 to Cambridge United in two weeks in two different cup competitions, and wins for Gillingham in both matches could have helped Gillingham Football Club out a lot financially as well.

Now if Gillingham were to win the next two league games against Doncaster Rovers and Accrington Stanley, then this defeat against Cambridge United will be forgotten very quickly, and resting up our key players for the crucial run in over Christmas will see Gillingham take short term pain for long term gain, And Steve Evans has spoken about fixture congestion and how he needs the current group of players to get through until January, And Steve Evans will be hoping to strengthen the squad and make Gillingham stronger for the second half of the season.