By Jack Nolan
October 29 2006

Kelvin Jack returned to the Gillingham line up for only his second game at Priestfield, and impressed with Gillinghams first clean sheet of the season. Goals from Mark Bentley and Gary Mulligan secured a first win in four for Gillingham.

Gillingham.2.0.Carlisle UTD
Priestfield, 28/10/2006
Coca-Cola Football League One

Gillingham secured their first win in four games after beating Carlisle at Priestfield on Saturday. Kelvin Jack returned to the Gilingham line-up following Scott Flinders' recall to Crystal Palace.

As per usual at Priestfield, the Gills got off to a bright start. Matt Jarvis was running riot early on and had a couple of chances to give the Gills an early lead, only to see his shots go well wide of the goal.

Before the game Gillingham boss Ronnie Jepson awarded midfielder Andrew Crofts with his first Wales cap, and Crofts had a good chance too early on only to see his shot go wide.

Matt Jarvis was playing his 100th game for Gillingham on Saturday, and after good work from the star man he picked out Mark Bentley following a dummy from striker Gary Mulligan, and midfielder Bentley somehow found a gap in the Carlisle defence and his shot picked out the bottom corner to put the Gills one up before ten minutes.

Mickey Flynn was having a good game in midfield and he had a brilliant chance to double Gillinghams advantage from his 20 yard strike which just missed the top right corner of the Carlisle goal.

Just after twenty minutes gone, Carlisle had their first real chance of the game when Murphy broke free of his marker only to see his shot go well wide of Kelvin Jack's goal.

Just before the game, Trinidian Kelvin Jack recieved a warm welcome upon his return to the Gills side on only his second home game of the season. The former Dundee UTD 'keeper was called into action when a quickly taken free-kick on the half hour mark was matched by Kelvin Jack who tipped it away for a corner kick.

With the interval fast approaching Guylain Ndumbu-Nsungu had a decent chance to double the Gills' lead. After good work by Bentley, his cross was just put wide by Guylain who is still in search of his first goal at Priestfield.

Carlilse boss Neil McDonald chose to use up all three substitutes at the interval and Carlisle started the second half brightly. But the Gills were still more dangerous on the break and Easton's shot on the edge of the penalty box went wide, and a goal bound header by Andrew Crofts was deflected away for a corner.

Twenty minutes from time Carlisle had one of their best chances of the game. Former Yeovil man Kevin Gall went to chip Kelvin Jack who pulled off a stunning save and the ball fortunatly bounced of the crossbar and cleared by the Gills defence.

Gillingham boss Ronnie Jepson completed the three month loan deal of former MK Dons captain Ben Chorley on Thursday and was introduced on seventy minutes replacing Guylain and was placed in defensive midfield. The versatile Chorley wanted to make an immediate impression and his long range shot unfortunatly went into the upper rows on the Rainham End.

Mark Bentley had a glorious opportunity to double his goal tally ten minutes from time when great work by Jarvis on the counter attack found Mark Bentley with a well directed cross, but Bentley somehow managed to head the ball over the bar from a six yards out.

But the Gills were under intense pressure by Carlisle who commited one man to many to their attack on were punished. Matt Jarvis broke on the counter attack and used his pace well firing a low cross to Gary Mullgian who finished neatly for his first league goal of the season.

Bas Savage also came on to replace Gary Mulligan with minutes left with Mulligan going off to a standing ovation by fans in the Medway Stand. Savage came on and showed his skill winning throws and using his height to win headers.

The Gills thought it was all over but Carlisle battled to the end and after good work by Carlisle Kevin Gall shot 8 yards out was brilliantly saved by on form 'keeper Kelvin Jack. The Gills held on and won their first clean sheet of the season and earning their first win in four games.

Meanwhile, Gillingham drew Bromley in the FA Cup first round at Priestfield. The game shall be played a week after GIllingham's next home game to Chesterfield. Crystal Palace have also recalled Scott Flinders to their squad.

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"It was a great three points against a good side who have been doing well. I am pleased with the clean sheet as well. It is good to get a clean sheet and it was thoroughly deserved. I thought the boys stuck to the task well and got a well deserved three points.

"I was a bit disappointed with the first 20 minutes of the second-half as we let them get on the front foot a little too much. Saying that, I thought we could have been more than one goal to the good on the first-half showing. Mark Bentley had a great chance in the second-half with a header. Mark gets in there and that is why I bought him to the club. He is good athlete who gets in various positions and comes up with the odd goal or two.

"We changed it around a little this week after seeing how well Carlisle did at Tranmere last week. I set it up a little bit different and, as everyone could see, in the first-half, we had numerous chances and caused them plenty of problems. I thought we went off the boil a little in the second-half but teams like Carlisle have been doing very well this season. They are going to have those stages in games when they put you under a bit of pressure. They are a good bunch of lads and they work extremely hard for Neil McDonald. They are not an easy side to play against so to get three points off of Carlisle, you know they are deserved.

"Kelvin Jack came back in and did well. He gives a nice presence at the back with the size of him. You wouldn't want to argue with him. He pulled a great save off at the end after a good through ball from one of their lads. He stood up well and he is a big target to get past.

"I just thought we were getting over-run a little bit. Guylain Ndumbu-Nsungu was looking a little tired and you know how Gary Mulligan never stops running. I thought 'Mullers' down the middle with Matty Jarvis would inject a little more pace and with Carlisle pushing forward, I thought we could catch them on the counter-attack. I thought we deserved a second goal. We did that in the end with Matty and Mulligan got the deserved goal. That worked well. It is great when it works but when it doesn't, you sometimes end up with egg on your face.

"I have yet to see the Mark Bentley one on the video. I don't know if he has tried to help it in or it just skimmed his head. You'd back him on them all day long there. I thought bringing the two defenders on to shore it up, we could then counter and get Matty away, which we did.

"Ben Chorley is a good lad. He has a good presence and goes about it in the right way. He can play in midfield or at centre-half, as he has shown for Milton Keynes Dons. I decided to put him in front of the back four. He gets in there, is good in the air and he can pass the ball well. He is a good addition to the squad.

"I was pleased with the bench I could put out today. We had two strikers, Alan Pouton, and a couple of defenders in Ben and Danny Jackman, who give a lovely balance on the left-side as we don't have too many left peggers at the football club. It is nice to be able to bring 'Jacko' on out there as it is natural to him."

Stats

Carlisle dominated the possesion at Priestfield with 56% to 44%. Gillingham had more shots on goal with 7 shots on target to Carlisle's 3. The Gills had 11 shots off target to Carlisle's 3, and Gillingham had more corners with 4 to Carlisle's 3. Carlisle commited more fouls with 11 fouls to Gillingham's 10.