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JIMMY McMurdo's side had drawn with Seaton Delaval before Christmas. As they travelled east on a baking hot day, the Gillford team would have been looking to capitalise on Heddon's absence by taking three points and moving closer to that coveted second spot. Gillford Park, kicking from left to right in the first half, got the game underway shortly after the scheduled 2 pm start and in the early stages both sides were pressing well. After eight minutes it was the visitors on the attack, as Craig Thomson moved in from the right before sending a short through ball to Darren Addison, but his shot went narrowly past the right-sided upright. Three minutes after that chance, home striker Anderson rocketed his effort high and into the trees at the other side of the car park. A few minutes later Anderson went a bit closer, latching onto a poor goal kick before twisting and turning through the defence, only to be denied by a comfortable and redeeming save for Twentyman. Seaton continued to look the more dangerous side in the first half and they twice went close in the 25th and 26th minutes, as first Anderson wrestled Tom Brocklebank from the ball but stroked his shot wide of the post, before a dangerous left-sided free-kick had to be cleared from the Gillford box. But that was the end of the drama and the game slumped into an uninspiring and unconvincing affair that left most wondering just how Gillford had risen to such heights in the league. The only other action came on the edge of injury time when Delaval forced a fairly routine save at the near post from a corner, before Stuart Moffat took the ball upfield and was denied by an equally relaxed stop from home keeper Lee Matthewson. Seaton started the second fourty-five the brightest as Baird found Anderson on the right, but under pressure his cross-cum-shot was easily taken by Twentyman . A minute later, the ball was swept out for a throw after Seaton had broke down the left in a move during which Gillford midfielder Darren Addison picked up an injury. With eight minutes of the second half gone, defender Purvis nodded the ball on to Baird and he got a powerful shot away that was kept from the goal only by a great save by an airborne Jack Twentyman. The corner was played into the back post but the weak effort was saved and hurled up the pitch ahead of Lee Otway, but on this occasion Otway wasn't pacey enough and Matthewson got out to take the ball on the edge of the box. Five minutes later and Otway, again causing the home defence problems, was fouled in the centre of the park about 20 yards from goal, but the prime position was wasted when Skinner blasted the set piece over. With sixty played, the stalemate remained and McMurdo decided it was time to make changes. Craig Thomson and Darren Addison were the reluctant victims of the chop, to be replaced by Mark Butler and Daniel Rayson. Immediately Butler was involved, earning Gilly a free kick from which Ty Taylor forced a corner on the right side of the field, but Tom Brocklebank - in the centre of the goal - headed just past the far, left, hand post. But Seaton were undeterred and went just as close a couple of minutes later, when Anderson broke through the defence only to be stopped by another good save from Twentyman. In hindsight, he probably shouldn't have taken so long trying to place the ball, and the corner it earned went sparing when Seaton were penalised for handball. As I right this, it's perhaps ironic that the song I'm listening to is 'Ugly' by Bon Jovi, as that's exactly how the game turned in the 67th minute when Purvis again caught Lee Otway with his elbows when jumping for a long ball. After exchaning expletives, the home defender shoved Otway who - it appeared to the referee at least - took a swing at the offending defender, and the pair were shown red by the towering official. Three minutes later and Gillford had their best chance of the game. Good play down the left between Dan Rayson and Steve Skinner saw Skinner square the ball across the box to Mark Butler, but somehow the alert Seaton custodian slid out to the feet of Butler and collected the ball. A few minutes later, an attack down the right saw Dan Rayson fed the ball in front of goal, but guttingly it got away from him and rolled out aimlessly. The afternoon was summed up when the usually infallible - at set pieces at least - Steve Skinner saw his corner go out of play before it had reached the near post, while a few minutes later his free-kick was taken easily by the keeper after Gary Milne had been shoved down by Ord. However, the introduction of Milne a few minutes earlier seemed to be the catalyst for an inspired final ten minutes from Gilly, as first 'Gaz' did well to move upfield and get away a shot that went just over, before Butler sent the ball to captain Robbie Short, who shot just over the bar. That signalled the end of a desperately disappointing game which neither team particularly deserved to win, but which, with a bit of luck, could have been three points and a couple of goal in the bag for Gillford Park. In the immortal words of Steven Skinner, "we're not entitled to win them all." |