Gillingham 1 - Brighton 0

Last night I blithely suggested that in a reversal of luck the Gills would win today.
By this morning I was prepared for little more than an hour or so in the sun and yet more dire attempts to 'play' football let alone any attempts to score goals.
The train journey down was spent trying to drown out the BHA fans who were intend on reminding everyone on the train exactly how much they resented having to use Priestfield as a home ground some seasons ago in the past. They were also rightly confident - playing and winning well thus far this season.
Well Gillingham station met with the now obligatory welcoming committee of several luminous clad policemen. They tend not to notice females and latch onto the groups of blokes. As I sat out side the station waiting for little Mazza to show up I wondered to myself what actually made a group of blokes different from another group of blokes ie the fans vs the police. At the end of the day each wear a uniform and each join together in a pack like way to make their point. Sadly there was no argy bargy. Everyone went in search of a pub for beer - good luck in the High Street I say..
So Mazza and I went to Mr Cascarino's Wimpy bar for a coffee. Ma with her index finger fully bandaged following a slight accident Thursday pre Dad's departure. Quite amusing! But not for her - she can't go swimming and trying to get the finger through the cup handle was impossible! Karma I say!
So with Dad's ST in her hand I take her to the mighty Rainham End so she can meet the Pie Family, Colin, Arfur and the twins. Sadly the Twins weren't there - but the other usual suspects were...

Kick Off. First Half - moderately entertaining - end to end stuff and we forced a save out of Kuipers - and also managed if a little ham fistedly to ensure BHA did not score.

Mazza may come to footie again - but in lieu of Pops being in the country next time she has to bring the half time sweets!!!

Second half - more of the same really. GFC fans in better voice than I have heard at home all season - and still a pretty even contest. Substitutions time... and I am still learning about these member of my extended family - so as a QRG for next game here are the squad and numbers....
1. Kelvin Jack
2. Duncan Jupp
3. Craig Armstrong
4.
5. Simon King
6. Ian Cox
7. Andrew Crofts
8. Mark Bentley
9. Gary Mulligan
10. Delroy Facey
11. Nicky Southall
12. Simon Royce
13
14. Aaron Brown
15
16. Efe Sodje
17. Andy Pugh
18. Craig Stone
19. Sean Clohessy
20. David Graham
21.
22. Derek Stillie
23. Barry Cogan
24. Guylian Ndumbu-Nsungu
25. Tom Bryant
And the team as on the Beeb Website...
Gillingham: Royce, Southall, Brown (Cogan 81), King (Armstrong 62), Cox, Crofts, Bentley, Lomas, Mulligan (Graham 64), Facey, Sodje.Subs Not Used: Stillie, Clohessy.

And so with the sun drooping slowly to the west - and the BHA fans getting louder, the Rainham End stewards removing loud fans - it was with a slow motion tinge that Facey scored. I have not celebrated a goal like that for ages. You knew it was going in the moment he struck it - out of my seat - fist punching the air deep deep joy! I automatically wished I had my shirt and scarf with me! Tribalness. Mum stayed put. Fool - its as rare as seeing a gorilla in its natural environment is seeing a corker in the Rainham End scored by the home side. Jubilantly we sang the Last Waltz. Jubilant. No manager. Facing bottom of the table obscurity -- we'd pulled it out the bag. And other football cliches...

82 minutes. Oh no - then the Gills faithful-ish were on tender hooks - could we hold out for a further 8 mins... more substitutions. More fouls. And then the worst moment 4 minutes added time... play to the whistle lads - PLAY!

Beep beep beeeeeeeeeeeeeep. Full time - we had done it.

Joy.

6118 of us saw victory. Bliss. Bounced back the station. Bounced back home. Its a small start - but it is a start. Brighton were no shining team - not that much better than us. Yes a draw looked certain and fair - but we need the points and football being a funny old game - you take what you can get.

Here's hoping the 30 candidates allegedly applying for the managers post realise there is a heart at the club despite the finance, despite the poor pitch performances, despite the quietness at many of the home games.

There is a heart - please make it beat again - properly before it stops for good....

UTG!