.jpg)
The Bulls dropped dangerously close to the drop zone when they lost two-goal leads twice at Priestfield this evening to finish on the wrong end of a 5-4 result.
Pitman sprang one surprise naming Danny Williams in a starting XI that included a return for Michael Townsend with Featherstone failing to make the squad.
The Bulls were quickly off the mark when Barkhuizen broke into the box in the second minute and was felled by Jack Evans. Purdie stepped up and coolly stroked the ball in from the spot.
Gills fans had barely recovered before Barkhuizen doubled the lead when he cut in from the left to meet Facey’s flick from Clist’s searching forward ball and finished from close range on seven minutes. Cornell made a fine save from Tomlin and Towner got in a saving challenge as Kuffour prepared to shoot.
Jack Evans broke away and crossed for Tomlin to sweep the ball into the net but the strike was disallowed as the referee’s assistant made a timely flagging interception to the proceedings. Lunt dinked a through ball into the path of Barkhuizen but King was quickly across to launch a clearance into the stand. Then Facey produced a similar cross to the one that resulted in the goal at Bradford but Taylor’s header was saved.
Whelpdale and Evans combined to craft a chance for Kedwell but Anthony got the block in and Purdie, busy ratting in midfield, whipped the ball away from the former AFC Wimbledon man as he closed on the penalty area.
The hosts pulled a goal back when Jackman drove a cross to Whelpdale who volleyed home from 12 yards with 44 minutes on the clock. As the half drew to a close, Kuffour fired wide and Whelpdale saw his header go over.
HT Gills 1 Bulls 2
The second period started disastrously when a long throw found the Bulls’ defence too deep and Kedwell nipped in to poke home with just 35 seconds played. Taylor sent a rising shot over the bar as Hereford strove to regain control but the home side were quick to restore pressure on Cornell’s area with a barrage of dipping crosses as they looked to push The Bulls onto the back foot.
Another Facey flick almost put Barkhuizen in on goal but Essam was quick to get in the clearance. Townsend, Anthony and Evans all conceded free kicks as The Bulls made hard work of clearing their lines but a Facey/Barks combination drew a fine save from keeper Gazzaniga.
Lunt played a ball up to Facey who laid off to Evans but his shot was high. Then Kaffour missed a chance when through on goal. Then The Bulls regained the lead against the run of play when Kenny Lunt fed Purdie down the left and his clever pass put Evans in to shoot and when the keeper was only able to parry the shot Barkhuizen was on hand to force the ball home.
Almost immediately, Towner conceded with a clumsy challenge on the edge of the box but some desperate defending kept the ball out. Clucas came on the replace the injured Danny Williams who went down under a crunching challenge from Weston.
Then Facey produced another fine cross for Evans to thump a header home to give the Bulls a fourth goal but Charlie Lee was allowed to run at Cornell’s goal unhindered to fire home the hosts third straight from the restart.
Lunt and Facey linked up to win a corner but Gazzaniga got in a punch to clear. Barkhuizen broke away and fed Evans whose shot was finger tipped away for a corner by the home keeper. Then with just minutes remaining The Bulls deep defending cost them another goal when Lee grabbed a late equaliser. With everyone thinking that nothing more could happen, Gazzaniga who should have been dismissed upended Barkhuizen in the box but he stayed on to save Purdie’s spot kick when he should have been in the showers. Then in a final show of suicidal defending The Bulls conceded right at the death when Tomlin swept home from just outside the six-yard box.
FT Gills 5 Bulls 4
Hereford; Cornell, Williams (Clucas 74), Townsend, Anthony, Clist, Barkhuizen, Lunt, Evans, Purdie, Taylor (Colbeck 82), Facey. Unused subs – Bartlett, McQuilkin, Elder.
Gillingham: Gazzaniga, King, Jackman, Essam, Evans (C Lee 46), Whelpdale (O Lee 77), Kuffour, Kedwell, Tomlin. Unused subs – Hawkes, Davies, Montrose.
Attendance 3784 with around 50 diehards.
The Bulls will no doubt cite the failure of the referee to send off the Gills’ keeper when he was clearly the last man but to lose a two-goal lead twice in the same match is about as careless as it comes. Too many times the defence backed off and dropped deep into their own box to allow chances to the home side in an area that gave Cornell little time to react.
What next?
