Better but still beaten

Gillingham created chances, struck the woodwork three times and dominated spells against Walsall before a late collapse turned a competitive game into a comprehensive defeat.

David Tickner writes regularly about Gillingham Football Club on Substack. You can read, follow or subscribe for free at Gills Journal | David Tickner | Substack.

Gillingham 0

Walsall 3

Moore 81, Connolly 89, Pressley 90+6

In their first two games of the new season, Gillingham have conceded six goals and failed to score. Those are the cold, hard facts. Yet the statistics tell only part of the story.

Better but still beaten - Walsall Review

Following a 3-0 home defeat to League One Luton Town in the first round of the Carabao Cup, Gillingham suffered the same comprehensive margin of loss to Walsall at Priestfield in their League Two opener on Saturday.

Ainsworth had criticised his side for failing to ‘lay a glove on Luton’. Not how he would have fought Mike Tyson, he joked. Against Walsall, however, it was different. There were times in both halves when Gillingham had Walsall on the ropes but could not land the finishing blow.

For 80 minutes, Gillingham laboured in the heat, created chances and struck the woodwork three times. Walsall goalkeeper Jed Ward, signed from Bristol Rovers over the summer, was again in inspired form, just as he had been when The Saddlers pulled off a Carabao Cup first round upset at Bristol City.

Ongoing Gillingham wastefulness in front of goal or, on this occasion, bad luck? That depends on your perspective. The truth, perhaps, is that both can exist at the same time.

Ainsworth was left astonished by his side's inability to score. ‘How we haven't scored today is unbelievable,’ he said afterwards, pointing to the efforts that struck the goal frame and the number of chances created throughout the contest.

Better but still beaten

The Gills' industry, at least until Walsall scored in the 81^st minute, could not be faulted. Until the closing stages, this was not the toothless Gillingham of last season, a side often criticised for lacking both endeavour and creativity.

On Saturday, they had 17 shots with seven (41.2%) on target. Last season, The Gills averaged 12.4 goal attempts per League game with 4.0 (31.8%) on target. Not since January had they mustered more than seven shots on target in a game.

After the final whistle, Ainsworth fronted up to some supporters’ likely reaction, accurately acknowledging that the scoreline would inevitably shape how many would view the performance. Following on from his pre-match declaration to ‘judge me on this’, he insisted he could ‘see through a 3-0 result, but many people won't be able to’.

The manager accepted that frustration was inevitable but made it clear he would shoulder the criticism himself. ‘If anyone wants to have a go, then I'm all for taking that abuse and sticking up for my players because they've given everything,’ he said.

Liam Gordon was named as captain as anticipated and came into the starting line up with Will Goodwin and Armani Little. Logan Dobbs, Robbie McKenzie and Seb Palmer-Houlden dropped to the bench where they were joined by Cameron Antwi and Garath McCleary returning from injury. With Ollie Wright still absent and Owen Mason having signed for Bromley the previous day, another emergency loan goalkeeper, Ashley Maynard-Brewer was handed his debut.

Maynard‑Brewer is a 27-year-old Australian keeper who was born in Dunstable and raised in Perth. He has made more than 70 League One appearances for Charlton Athletic and helped The Addicks secure promotion in 2025. Now on the books of Sheffield Wednesday, he returned to Priestfield for a second spell after a brief loan stint in the summer of 2022 was curtailed almost immediately by injury.

Gillingham's goalkeeping situation remains a source of intrigue. Injuries to summer recruits Wright and Lennon MacLorg have further complicated matters and have forced the club into successive emergency loan signings. Yet neither stand-in goalkeeper can be held responsible for consecutive 3-0 home defeats.

Wright has been described as close to a return for several weeks now and Ainsworth again expressed optimism, saying: ‘We're hoping that Ollie will be fit for next week.’ Constantly changing goalkeepers does little to promote stability in a defence already facing questions over its fragility.

Whatever your view of Ainsworth's managerial effectiveness, it is hard to deny that he has had little fortune with player injuries. Napoleon is said to have valued luck even in his best generals, and on Saturday Ainsworth appeared to be in short supply of it.

First, Little was forced off after half an hour, prompting concerns that the former skipper's return may have come a little too soon.

A potentially even bigger blow followed a few minutes later. Newly appointed captain Gordon limped off in obvious discomfort after landing awkwardly following an aerial challenge in front of the Rainham End.

Gordon had impressed throughout pre-season and looked every inch a leader during his first 35 minutes as captain. Losing him proved a significant setback. Ainsworth later admitted: ‘I think we probably missed him in that last 17 minutes,’ adding: ‘I don't think we concede those goals with him in the team.’

It was Gordon's injury that caused the greater concern. The Gills’ boss described it as a potential knee problem while suggesting Little's issue appeared to be muscular.

Chances without reward

Gillingham had begun brightly, pressing and dominating possession during the opening ten minutes. Setting the tone for a positive start, Little

delivered an inviting cross into the Walsall penalty area where Goodwin found space inside the six-yard box but was unable to make meaningful contact.

Walsall enjoyed occasional spells of possession but posed little threat during the opening exchanges, not winning their first corner until the 21st minute.

The Gills looked threatening going forward, although were occasionally exposed down their right flank, a vulnerability that had also been evident in the defeat by Luton.

The injuries to Gordon and Little disrupted Gillingham's rhythm and brought six minutes of stoppage time. It was during that extended period that the hosts produced some of their most threatening football. Three excellent opportunities came and went in quick succession, with Ward forced into action and the woodwork twice coming to Walsall's rescue. By the interval, the visitors must have considered themselves fortunate to return to the dressing room with the scores still level.

The persistence of James Brophy and Ronan Hale created a shooting chance for the latter. The Northern Irishman unleashed a fierce 30-yard drive that drew an athletic save from Ward, who sprang to his right to push the ball behind for a corner.

Moments later, Zane Albarus clipped an excellent pass out to Goodwin on the right, whose first-time, dipping volley landed on top of the crossbar. The pressure continued to mount and there was still time for Brophy and Hale to combine again. Hale's incisive pass released the former Cambridge United midfielder, who struck a left foot shot from the edge of the box that rattled the crossbar, leaving Walsall relieved to hear the half-time whistle.

Further chances came and went after the interval as Gillingham asked more questions of the Walsall defence. Perhaps the best opportunity fell to Goodwin. A long free kick from Brophy created uncertainty in the Walsall penalty area as Ward failed to claim. Andy Smith headed the ball back to Goodwin, who had sight of the target with the goalkeeper stranded, but miscued his effort. The chance was not over. The ball fell to Hale, who burst beyond Walsall's latest summer signing Roman Dixon and drove towards goal from a narrowing angle, only for Ward to recover and palm away his shot.

A long throw from McKenzie caused problems in the Walsall penalty area, the loose ball dropping invitingly for Goodwin, who dragged a left-footed effort wide of the target.

The hosts then came agonisingly close again. A long goal kick was headed on twice, sending Hale through at pace. He beat two defenders, but his shot was well saved by Ward, who once again came to Walsall's rescue.

From a free kick on the left, Brophy disguised his intentions before the ball was worked into the area by Hale. Goodwin met it sweetly with a right-foot volley that beat the goalkeeper but cannoned back off the bar, the third time Gillingham had been denied by the woodwork.

The manner of what followed was, however, even more frustrating from a Gillingham perspective. For much of the game they had been the more threatening side, but the contest unravelled rapidly once Walsall found a breakthrough. Ainsworth later described it as ‘two different games’, adding: ‘One game from 0 to 80 minutes and then a game of 17 minutes of just collapse.’

A game changes

Walsall's breakthrough arrived in the 81st minute and came in a manner not dissimilar to their winning goal at Ashton Gate. Breaking swiftly down the left, substitute Charlie Clarke delivered a cross towards the far post where Aaron Pressley's header caused confusion in the six-yard box as Maynard-Brewer and McKenzie became entangled. The loose ball broke for Isaac Moore, who capitalised from close range.

The second goal, eight minutes later, effectively ended the contest. Again, it was Clarke who was involved, cutting in dangerously from the left before directing an effort towards goal. The ball struck the midriff of Walsall captain James Connolly, bounced off the post and, in contrast to Gillingham's encounters with the woodwork, fell perfectly for the defender to convert the rebound from close range.

With Gillingham now reeling, Walsall added a third deep into stoppage time. The hosts' defence was badly stretched as Clarke – once again - collected possession, turned Albarus and whipped a dangerous cross towards the near post. Pressley provided the finishing touch, glancing the ball beyond Maynard-Brewer to complete a scoreline that looked far more one-sided than the afternoon had felt.

More positives than the score suggests

Brophy shared his manager's view that the final score distorted much of what had gone before. ‘The result probably doesn't reflect the game,’ he said, while insisting there were still ‘more positives to take from that game than negatives.’

Teams

Gillingham 3-4-2-1 A Maynard-Brewer 6.2 – A Smith 5.9, O Beckles 6.7, L Gordon* 6.7 (L Dobbs 37, 5.9) – N. Freeman 6.3, Z. Albarus 6.1, A Little 6.9 (R McKenzie 31, 6.4), K Harris 6.8 (G McCleary 72, 5.8) – R Hale 6.7, J. Brophy 7.1 – W Goodwin 6.5 (S Palmer-Houlden 72, 6.2)

Booked Smith, Harris, McKenzie, Hale

Walsall 4-2-3-1 J Ward 8.4 – E Ahui 6.6 (R Dixon 46, 6.7), D Skura 7.4, J Connolly* 8.4, M Hancock 6.9 (H Burke 74, 6.7) – C Crew 6.2 (I Moore 60, 7.8), S Sprangler 7.3 – L Simper 6.2 (C Clarke 60, 7.8), A Dallas 6.7 (T Sodje 67, 6.6), R Smith 7.5 – A Pressley 8.3

Booked Ahui, Crew

Referee Emily Heaslip Attendance 6,125

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