Gillingham Versus Town

Here you can chat about everything and anything related to ITFC and other football issues. This forum also hosts the now Internationally famous TB.com ITFC match previews which contain insightful pre-match thoughts, previous highlights, news links relating to Town, form guides and other bits and pieces. Feel free to discuss meet ups/travel plans in here as well.

Moderators: marko69, Bluemike, Charnwood

Post Reply
User avatar
Bluemike
Global Moderator
Posts: 29565
Joined: Mon May 18, 2009 5:26 pm
Location: Ipswich

Gillingham Versus Town

Post by Bluemike » Fri Jul 21, 2017 6:17 pm

Defender Adam Webster is set to play his first game of pre-season at Gillingham on Saturday afternoon (KO 3pm), while keeper Bartosz Bialkowski will return to the squad having been unwell for the 3-1 win at Peterborough on Tuesday.

Webster is over the ankle injury which has sidelined him for Town’s first three friendlies, the 5-0 win at Drogheda, the 4-1 behind-closed-doors victory over Southend and Tuesday’s defeat of Posh.

Andre Dozzell is back with the squad after helping the England U19s to win the European Championships and may feature, while Emyr Huws, who has had a sore calf, and Tom Adeyemi, another who has been ill, are also yet to feature during pre-season.

As has been the case in all the friendlies so far, a number of youngsters, including midfielder Flynn Downes, who signed a new three-year deal earlier in the week, will make the trip to Kent.

Striker Joe Garner will be looking to add to his five goals in three games against the Gills, who are managed by Ipswich-born Adrian Pennock. Ex-Blues midfielder Lee Martin is among the playing staff at the Priestfield Stadium.

Town were last at Gillingham for a pre-season friendly in the summer of 2014 when goals from Alex Henshall and Luke Hyam saw them to a 2-0 win.

Following the Gills match the Blues travel to Colchester on Tuesday (KO 7.30pm) and then Charlton for their final friendly a week on Saturday (KO 3pm).
Looking forward to my first game of the season albeit a friendly, a new ground for me too. I think the last Three friendlies start to see things being taken a little more seriously ao good to see Bart and Webster back, for me Two of our most important players.

User avatar
number 9
Posts: 6529
Joined: Wed Feb 19, 2014 8:35 pm

Re: Gillingham Versus Town

Post by number 9 » Fri Jul 21, 2017 6:24 pm

Martin will probably take a shot, and the ball will fly out of the stadium and into the car park! :lol: :lol: :lol:

User avatar
derick_ipsw
Posts: 3376
Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2007 3:59 pm
Location: CHESTER

Re: Gillingham Versus Town

Post by derick_ipsw » Sat Jul 22, 2017 5:38 pm

It is going to be a long season if we get beat 2-1 by The likes of Gillingham even if it is pre season friendly. We should be beating these teams easily not losing.

User avatar
number 9
Posts: 6529
Joined: Wed Feb 19, 2014 8:35 pm

Re: Gillingham Versus Town

Post by number 9 » Sat Jul 22, 2017 5:53 pm

From what I've read, we dominated most of the game. It sounds like Celina had a good run out.

User avatar
Bluemike
Global Moderator
Posts: 29565
Joined: Mon May 18, 2009 5:26 pm
Location: Ipswich

Re: Gillingham Versus Town

Post by Bluemike » Sat Jul 22, 2017 9:52 pm

I actually enjoyed todays game and was pretty pleased with much of what I saw, for me there were more positives than negatives, the scoreline matters not and was not a true reflection of a game which we should not have lost. The first half in particular saw us dominate pretty much the the entire 45 mins and Sears & Garner (2) both had chances to put us ahead and but for some last ditch defending would have done. Spence & Celina were also looking impressive with the latter a very tricky customer who has excellent footwork and good delivery. The undoubted highlight of the afternoon for me was the perfromance of Flynn Downes, this lad can play and already looks the real deal, it is clear to see why he is rated so highly, he ran the half and didnt put a foot wrong, most of what we did went through him, every pass found a man and every pass was a forward pass, he constantly looked for the ball and always gave others an option, he seems to have the knack of always finding space and the boy is sure not afraid to tackle either, we all wanted another signing well to me we have one here in Downes, very very impressed.

The second half was not so one sided and very stop start due in no small part to the barrage of substitutions from both sides. We fell behind to a penalty given after Lee Martin took what looked like a dive to me before the Gills scored a super second. Celina was the stand out performer in the second half and one excellent bit of trickery saw him beat the defender before cutting in and hitting a curling shot against the post and away to safety. Other bright spots in the second half was Danny Rowe who got our goal and the brief appearance of Dominic Iorfa, man he is f**king huge and is so fast !!

Yes we lost, doesnt matter a jot in truth, a team that had no Huws, Skuse or Adeyemi, while Didsy & Webster only played a few minutes is hardly a reflection of our starting line up for the Birmingham game although with sickness and injuries already an issue some of the fringe players may get an early chance. The last 20 mins saw a host of kids on the pitch and it will be good experience for them all. A good thing for the purists among us is we played the ball on the grass virtually the entire game, I do not remember a single unneccesary hoof of the ball at all, at times we looked crisp and assured in our passing which admittedly was against so called weaker opposition. Don't be fooled by the result, we did ok and in Downes we could havea real gem on our hands, wait until you see him.

hallamblue
Posts: 30856
Joined: Sun Mar 21, 2004 3:30 pm
Location: Ipswich Town F.C.

Re: Gillingham Versus Town

Post by hallamblue » Sat Jul 22, 2017 10:07 pm

Towns play was slick, pacey and ALL on the deck today.

All we need now b4 the season.starts is that elusive striker with the physical presence required in the Championship.

I think Town will be a different proposition this season compared to last.

COYBs

User avatar
marko69
Global Moderator
Posts: 24186
Joined: Mon Apr 13, 2009 2:16 am
Location: Somewhere between here and there.

Re: Gillingham Versus Town

Post by marko69 » Sat Jul 22, 2017 10:55 pm

Everything read so far about young Flynn Downes has been very positive and your match report today keeps that trend going. Delighted some TB.com forum members can now give opinions on what they've witnessed, "live". Exciting times ahead.

Can see it from the other angle too, i.e., yes should really be defeating Gillingham, but probably thinking those positives outweigh the actual result a tad more.

Which leads us nicely onto the goalkeeper chat....... letting in two goals? Useless BSTD! :D

hallamblue
Posts: 30856
Joined: Sun Mar 21, 2004 3:30 pm
Location: Ipswich Town F.C.

Re: Gillingham Versus Town

Post by hallamblue » Sun Jul 23, 2017 9:07 am

PMSL. :lol: :lol:

Post Reply