What does this mean for the table?

The Shouting Ben on the progress, or lack thereof, of Gillingham FC

What does this mean for the table?

There have been six Gillingham matches since our previous update. We asked Ben Hopkins what’s been occurring at Gills since then, and his response was, “Is there a word for a dejected sigh?”

Perfect pitch black

Everyone’s favourite diminutive Scottish redheaded football manager, Gordon Strachan, was once asked, in what areas were your team outclassed today? His response: “What areas? Mainly that big green one out there.”

Which sums up the majority of Gillingham’s recent results. 1-0 away defeats to Chesterfield and Crewe? Well, they’re to be expected in the circumstances. They’re fighting to make the play-offs, and Gills have nothing left to play for. A 3-0 home defeat against Oldham, who had previously been equally as mediocre? It’s arguably not entirely fair (and we can do without the “We want four!” chants), but you can’t be too surprised when a significant chunk of the Rainham End turned on manager Gareth Ainsworth and several players.

Still, at least there was a relative high all the way up north in Barrow. A dearth of quality from both sides was demonstrated by both their respective league positions (Barrow 22nd, Gills 16th) and a miserly match total of three shots on target - all of which came from Gills. And as with Newport at home, Gills left it incredibly late when Robbie McKenzie scored the game’s only goal in the 13th minute of added time.

Last Saturday’s game versus Fleetwood was mixed but ultimately underwhelming. Seb Palmer-Houden looked mightily relieved to have finally scored his third goal of the season after a long punt from Max Clark, but Fleetwood equalised in stoppage time - and in all truth, they could’ve done so earlier if not for a decent performance from back-in-favour Jake Turner in goal. Ho and indeed hum.

Gills at home to MK Dons. Photo: Ben Hopkins.

In a classic case of save the worst for last, a makeshift Gills side plagued by absentees got torn to shreds with a 5-1 thrashing from MK Dons. Lining up five attack-minded players against one of the strongest teams in the division was obviously a mistake, but by the time changes were made, the result had already been cemented. The Rainham End would normally be furious, but so many people had already gone home or hit The Factory early that the reaction was almost apathetic.

What does this mean for the table?