Charlton Athletic 1-3 Gillingham - They wanted it more than us, admits Stuart Weston

CHARLTON ATHLETIC  1-3  GILLINGHAM
The FA Women’s Premier League Southern Division
Sunday 15^th September 2013
Stephen McCartney reports from Bayliss Avenue

GILLINGHAM manager James Marrs says he is not making any bold statements about winning the title after his side moved three points clear of The FA Women’s Premier League Southern Division table after four games.

The Gills’ claimed the local bragging rights in the big Kent derby at Bayliss Avenue after a dominant display against their fierce rivals.

Referee Alan Hill decided to delay the kick-off for fifteen minutes because both sides were denied access to the dressing rooms due to the number of youth teams using the 4g pitch next door.

But the game didn’t get going until 2:25pm because assistant referee Godfrey Parris had to repair the goal net at the flyover end of the ground and someone forgot to put out the corner flags.

Dominant Gillingham raced into a 3-0 lead within the hour thanks to goals from Lisa Fulgence, Charlotte Gurr (penalty) and Danielle Carlton, before Charlton Athletic pulled a goal back through Kristina Manktelow’s long range strike.

Gillingham extended their unbeaten run to four games, having collected 10 points from four games to remain top, three points clear of Tottenham Hotspur, who arrive in Chatham next Sunday to play a League Cup group tie.

Charlton Athletic, meanwhile, slipped down three places into the bottom three (with four points from four games) after going three games since their opening 2-1 home win over West Ham United.

“We’re basically taking a game at a time and we didn’t see Charlton to be any different to any other team so how we approached it, fierce rivals or not fierce rivals was exactly the same as any other game really,” explained Marrs, 26, after his side’s third league win of the season.

“I asked the girls’ to go out there and give me 110% for me and that’s all I can really ask of them and they’ve done that today.  We’re fortunate enough to come away with the three points and three goals as well.”

Charlton Athletic boss Stuart Weston, 38, meanwhile, admitted he was bitterly disappointed with his side’s derby day performance.

He said: “It’s a hard one to take, any defeat is, but when you’re playing against your rivals’ and for me I don’t think we had the same heart as Gillingham had.

“I take my hat off to them. Gillingham worked hard, especially in the first half. They wanted it a lot more than we did.

“I thought we came out with a better attitude in the second half. I think we had a better reaction in the second half.”

Weston added: “We’ve got three really important players’ missing today but that’s no excuse. The players’ I put in there they should be good enough to compete with Gillingham and unfortunately today they didn’t.”

The delay appeared to do the home side more harm than good, as Gillingham started the game like a house on fire.

Marrs said: “We started out of the traps. We pressed them and got in their faces a little bit just to see if they were up for it.

“It was a big of a muggy, miserable day, the pitch was wet. We wanted to see what they had basically and we ended up getting on top and getting what we deserved really.

“From the first half we didn’t really give them too much. We just wanted to work our socks off and not give them any time on the ball and we got rewards for that.”

Both sides were certainly up for the game in their media responsibilities in the week leading up to the game – but Weston claimed his side lacked the desire against their fierce rivals.

“I know Gillingham have been on twitter about it and stuff like that but that’s fine,” said Weston.

“I stayed away from it myself. I preferred to get on with the game and talk about it later. 

“We didn’t start well at all. First half I thought we were appalling actually. I don’t think we played well at all. We were second to every ball. 

“Gillingham just seemed to come out flying and they wanted it more than what we did.”

Marrs added: “It’s been like that in every game for us.  The one thing that we pride ourselves on is going out there and having a bit of fight.

“Some of the girls’ have travelled a long way to get here today and we don’t travel to away games to roll over and give the home team what they want.

“We got up in their faces and we wanted it today. We wanted to win today and you saw that from the girls’ out there. It was a very, very good display.”

Fulgence ran at the Charlton Athletic defence before releasing Emma Tune, whose right-footed chip from 25-yards was caught low down by Charlton Athletic keeper Megan Lynch.

But Charlton Athletic were guilty of making three mistakes in defence before Gillingham opened the scoring with four minutes and 43 seconds on the clock.

Skipper Jay Blackie released winger Nikita Whinnett down the right and after turning Charlton Athletic left-back Stefanie Simmons she played a low centre into the box. 

Tune floated her shot towards goal, which Lynch did well to dive to her right to claw the ball away and in the scramble Felicity Gibbons’ low shot was blocked and the ball was turned in by Fulgence, sliding underneath the keeper to roll into the bottom near corner, for her first goal for the club.

At first glance it appeared that Gibbons had scored the opening goal, but Marrs revealed afterwards that Fulgence is claiming the last touch.

Marrs asked his players who scored their three goals today and he said during the post-match press conference: “Gurrsy, Lisa and DC are saying that they got the goals. I don’t think it’s Flissy’s goal, but if it goes down as Flissy’s goal, then happy days!

“Lisa’s claiming it, I think. Fliss never put her hand up in the changing room but I asked who got it and Lisa put her hands up.  There may be a bit of a stewards (enquiry) on that!

“I wouldn’t like to turn round and say to Lisa no it wasn’t your goal – she’ll end up killing me!”

When asked who he would give the goal to, Marrs replied: “Lisa is claiming it. It went in, it hit the net, that’s all I’m interested in, but Lisa’s claiming it, so it may not have been Fliss.”

The last thing that Charlton Athletic needed was their table-topping local rivals scoring an early goal.

Weston said: “If I remember rightly, the goalkeeper did well. Initially the ball came in and she actually made the save and it fell underneath her and just rolled over the line so in that respect it was a fortunate goal for them but they all count!

“What you need to do, you have to react to that and I think the girls’ were a bit shell-shocked rather than react to it in a positive way.”

Gillingham central defender Rachel Ahern played a delightful 50-yard ball forward to pick out left-winger Gibbons, who whipped in a first time cross with her left foot 30-yards from goal out on the touchline and the ball sailed over Lynch and clipped the top of the far post.

Gillingham created another chance when Charlton Athletic central defender Samantha Pittuck was booked for a sliding challenge that Whinnett required treatment from the physio.

Carlton swung in a left-footed free-kick from near the right corner flag, which was headed away and an unmarked Gurr drilled a powerful left-footed drive which sailed over from 25-yards.

But Gillingham deservedly doubled their lead in the 28^th minute, courtesy of Gurr’s sixth-goal of the season.

Some woeful defending from Pittuck saw the Charlton Athletic number 9 (the home side wear squad numbers) play the ball across the edge of the penalty area and the ball was intercepted by Gibbons, who sprinted into the penalty area before being clipped by Rosie Paye and the referee pointed to the spot.

Both managers were asked their thoughts on the decision.

The Gillingham manager said: “It looked a pen. I don’t know whether it was or not.  Fliss says it was a pen so I’m guessing.  You don’t actually know until you’re right there. It looked a penalty.”

The Charlton Athletic manager added: “I don’t think it was a penalty. The player said to me she hasn’t touched her. She’s jumped over her legs and the ref sees what he sees and he gives what he gives is right.

“As far as I’m concerned she’s stuck her leg out to try and touch the ball and then pulled it away again and Fliss was already going over.  I don’t think it was a penalty. It was given and you have to deal with it. Megan went the right way unfortunately just didn’t get to it but some of them you get, some of them you don’t.”

Gurr stepped up and drilled a left-footed penalty into the left-hand corner of the net, beyond Lynch who had guessed the right way.

Marrs said: “A good penalty as well by Gurrsy as well, right in the corner, un-savable so happy days.

“You score, you go 2-0 up and you’re thinking things are looking promising here, but you’re always sceptical because they only need one opportunity. They’ve got some good players in their team that can strike a ball from a far distance so I was just making sure we kept on top, tried to keep the ball in their half and not allow them to play and see out the rest of the half, which we done.”

Gillingham missed Gurr’s firepower in front of goal following her move to league rivals Brighton & Hove Albion, her home town club, at the start of the year.

“She’s pleased she’s back from Brighton, let’s put it that way,” said Marrs.

“I’ve been on her case a little bit with regards to her work-rate and stuff. If she can keep producing in front of goal and keep putting the ball in the back of the net that may keep me off her case a little bit.

“I’ve been on her recently because she hasn’t been working hard as I want her to do. She put in a shift today and she got her rewards with her good goal.”

Gibbons, who is on loan from Super League side Watford, was penalised for handball in the 32^nd minute, but Simmons curled her left-footed free-kick around the far post from 25-yards.

At the other end, Carlton cracked a powerful left-footed free-kick from 40-yards towards goal and Lynch was relieved to see the ball bounce narrowly past the post.

Weston revealed he wasn’t happy during the half-time interval and said: “I just said to them our work-rate wasn’t good enough! We weren’t passing the ball well enough. In our transitions we weren’t reacting quick enough.  We weren’t going forward quick enough to support the front pair and when we lost the ball we weren’t closing down quick enough either.

“The most important thing for me was the work-rate wasn’t there and I can understand that teams may come and play better than you but for me that’s no excuse to have no work-rate.”

Charlton Athletic came out with more desire in the second half and Paye clipped a long ball from the half-way line and Kristina Manktelow did well to steal the ball off Carlton before her poor cross from the right was cleared out to skipper Kimberley Dixson, who sliced her right-footed shot off target from eighteen-yards.

Dixson then drilled a right-footed free-kick into the Gillingham penalty area from 40-yards out but Kent based Jenny Newman directed her header well wide of the target from 12-yards.

Gillingham put the game beyond their rivals’ reach with a beautiful goal on the hour mark, courtesy of a three girl move down the left involving Gurr, Fulgence and Carlton.

It ended with Carlton playing a slick one-two with Fulgence, before Carlton was given space to crack a shot off the outside of her left-foot on the angle from 22-yards, which curled around Lynch and caressed into the top far corner of the net.

Marrs said: “There was a one-two before that, don’t forget that! There was a one-two with Gurrsy before that and then the ball went into Lisa and Lisa set DC and she’s hit one into the top bins with the outside of her boot.

“I really don’t know what really to say to be honest because I was really pleased with the passage of play before hand and then they buried it into the top corner so I was more than happy.”

Marrs added: “You’ve got a little cushion. I still didn’t want us to relax too much because as soon as you relax too much you allow the other team to get on top and when they get a goal the tides with them then and you have to see it out so then it could have become difficult.

“But we were really solid after they scored their goal. We were nice and tight and never gave them a sniff so I’m chuffed.”

Weston was disappointed that his defence failed to close down the Gillingham left-back, who scored her third goal of the season.

“It was a great strike to be fair, but again we was a little bit standing off then rather came out pressing, which is not the way I want to play. I want to press teams. It’s how I played last year when we won the reserve league.

“It was a great finish. I don’t want to take anything away from the finish, but she should never be in a position to be able to do that. If you look at it the other end, every time we got the ball in and around their box there were two of three of them on us and we didn’t have that same work-rate.”

Tune then unleashed a speculative right-footed drive from 30-yards, which bounced once into Lynch’s gloves.

Charlton Athletic scored a consolation in the 65^th minute when Kristina Manktelow, who celebrates her 21^st birthday next Friday, was given space and her left-footed drive from 30-yards looped over Fay Baker’s head (the goalkeeper was rooted to the spot) and found the roof of the net.

It was to be the home sides’ only real chance of the whole game – a statistic that that disappointed Weston.

“Apart from the shot that went in from Krissy – it was a good strike but maybe their goalkeeper should have done better.

“As soon as they saw that maybe they should have tested her a bit more but it’s testament to Gillingham the way that they closed us down. I thought they worked hard to close us down. They stopped us playing and I think the girls’ just said in the changing room, they seemed to have a bit more heart than what we did today, which is unfortunate when it’s a derby and the rivalry should be there.

“I shouldn’t need to gee the team up. It should be there for them.”

Marrs added: “We didn’t allow them to shoot from distance because they’ve got some wonderful players with some really good technique and if you allow this team to shoot from distance they’re going to cause problems for the goalkeeper.

“In the second half we gave them a sniff from the edge of the box and the ball went in the back of the net so we was very wary of that to make sure they never had any time on the ball in and around our box.”

Reflecting on Charlton Athletic’s goal, Marrs added: “Great strike! I said to the girls’ that’s what happens when you allow them too much time on the ball. From 30-yards they’ve got players that can do that. We gave them a little bit too much room and they’ve buried it.

“They’ve (my players) learnt from that and that was important. They never allowed any free shots from that area for the rest of the half.  I don’t mind them making mistakes as long as they learn from it and they did that.”

Gillingham were getting sloppy in defence and Charlton Athletic could have clawed themselves back into the game if their finishing was better, but substitute Charley Clifford’s speculative right-footed drive sailed high and wide from 30-yards.

A long kick up field from Gillingham keeper Baker was flicked on by Blackie inside Charlton’s half and this released Gibbons, but her left-footed drive was cut out by Lynch, who stuck out her arms to grab the ball to her left before dropping the ball and gathering at the second attempt.

Blackie then cut the ball back to substitute Lauren Davis, who lost the ball but the ball came back out to Blackie, who stroked a left-footed shot towards goal, which bounced into Lynch’s gloves for a comfortable save.

Charlton Athletic’s central midfielder Kit Graham received the ball from a poor clearance from Baker from close to the foot of her post, but the resulting right-footed drive from 30-yards sailed just past the near post.

Weston said: “The reaction was a lot better in the second half, better work-rate in the second half.  Obviously we got a goal back, by then we were 3-0 down. What I’m disappointed at, as I’ve said to the girls’, it’s always hard to take a loss but it’s easier to take a loss when you’ve worked and you’ve tried hard and I don’t think I got that from them today. They know they didn’t perform today and they can do a lot better.

“We’ve got a spare week next week, we’re having a friendly and we’ll go back to the training ground and start working on a few things that were clearly missing today.”

For Gillingham they can enjoy their derby day win and being at the top of the league at this early stage of their campaign.

Marrs said: “We just take it a game at a time.  The work ethic from the girls’ has been fantastic.  I don’t think you can get it at another club if I’m brutally honest.  I’ve never known a bunch of girls’ who work so hard in training. Their enthusiasm and their attitude to want to do well is frightening at times and if we can start to get that out on the pitch then we’ll do ok and we’ll hold our own and that’s what I’ve asked of them.

“Me and Jack (Wheeler, my assistant) have got our own personal targets where we want to finish and where we want to aim for but with regards to the girls’ and the rest of the team’s, we’ll take a game at a time and then we’ll assess it at Christmas and then we’ll go from there.

“But we’re not getting excited.  We’re top of the league with ten points. It means nothing, absolutely nothing. Just as long as we can continue our top form, I think we’ll do ok.”

When asked whether he’d like to make a statement that his side are going out to win the league, Marrs replied: “No way! I don’t do that! I leave that to other teams to make silly statements.  It is a long, long road, a long road. I ain’t being funny, even if it got to March and we’re top of the league I still wouldn’t be looking to win the league. I’m not that way. I haven’t got that mindset.

“We’ll just take it a game at a time, literally a game at a time and then we’ll assess where we’re at and how we’re doing by our performances.  If our performances are doing really good then we should be doing really good.”

Charlton Athletic: Megan Lynch, Katie Flack, Rosie Payne, Samantha Pittuck, Stefanie Simmons, Kristina Manktelow, Kimberley Dixson, Kit Graham, Kylie Manktelow (Charley Clifford 56), Jenny Newman, Emma Harrison (Katie Hardaker 58).
Sub: Athena Yennaris

Goal:  Kristina Manktelow 65

Booked: Samantha Pittuck 24, Kit Graham 87

Gillingham: Faye Baker, Amy Taylor, Danielle Carlton, Jay Blackie, Deanna Cooper, Rachel Ahern, Nikita Whinnett (Lauren Williams 75), Emma Tune, Lisa Fulgence (Lauren Davis 65), Charlotte Gurr, Felicity Gibbons.
Sub: Charlotte Long

Goals: Felicity Gibbons 5, Charlotte Gurr 28 (pen), Danielle Carlton 60

Booked: Nikita Whinnett 35

Attendance: 109
Referee:  Mr Alan Hill (Welling)
Assistants: Mr Gareth Dineen (Teddington, Middlesex) & Mr Godfrey Parris (Dartford)