Super City front up to Gills

The beam that lit up the gaffer’s face in deepest Kent would have melted the most Arctic of blasts.

All week, City’s long trek to the south-east had looked in serious doubt because of the winter weather. By 5pm on Saturday, there were no doubts at all that City were serious contenders again.

There were hopeful signs the week before with a much-needed win over Grimsby but that was against a team who would have been bottom of the table but for the points penalties of others.

This time the quality of the opposition was very different. Gillingham were bang in form, having won four out of five, with a striker who has been scoring for fun. Yet the home side might as well have stayed indoors in front of the fire.

City were on top from first minute to last and delivered their most complete performance under McCall. This was the type of away display that we dreamed would be a regular occurrence when the legend took the Valley Parade helm.

It was a pity that so few fans had made the journey but totally understandable given the snow and ice that had blanketed the country.

The hardy souls who did go were richly rewarded. No wonder McCall grinned like the cat who’d got the cream.

As he said, there were big performances all over the pitch – but without wanting to single one out, he mentioned two in particular.

The way front pair Peter Thorne and Michael Boulding never stopped chasing down opponents, running the channels, bringing team-mates into play and basically proving a constant pain in the Gillingham proverbial typified everything that was right about City.

McCall said: “We defended ever so well as a team but you’re always only as good as your front two. They were our first line of defence.

“The strikers were very good, not just in an attacking way but in stopping Gillingham from coming at us. We know Thorney and Boulders get the goals but their work ethic was superb.

“Thorney was a typical centre forward, taking things in and setting people up. We need some leaders and he’s leading now down the middle of the pitch.

“We asked Boulders to play on the shoulder of the last defender all the time and get down the sides of them. We felt they lacked a little bit of pace at the back and wanted him to exploit that, which he did.

“They never gave Gillingham any time on the ball and that’s what we ask from the players. We had a lot of energy again in the middle of the park and there was always a threat in wide areas but the front two set it all up for me.”

City wasted no time in showing they meant business, storming out of the blocks to force a couple of early corners. They should have been in front before Gillingham had even warmed up.

Omar Daley ruffled the back of the net – but unfortunately from the outside – and then Boulding missed a gilt-edged chance with a free header. The home defence went walkabout as Nicky Law swung in a cross to leave Boulding all alone but he directed it the wrong side of the post.

Gillingham should have done better when Daley coughed up possession in front of his own box but the puff-pastry header from Jaime Peters eight yards out was a typical winger’s effort.

Daley then showed the other side of his game with a mesmerising turn to throw off his marker Stuart Lewis. He squared to Boulding, whose well-struck drive was turned away by Simon Royce.

City had taken the game by the scruff of the neck, with Gillingham’s highly-rated Simeon Jackson left to feed off scraps by the dominant back four.

Luke O’Brien had been forced to miss his second game in three with a bad bout of tonsillitis but, with Zesh Rehman again switching to the left, Paul Arnison slotted back in and played his best game yet in a City shirt.

Gillingham’s attacking prowess relied heavily on loan wide men Peters and Andy Barcham. Both tried Arnison’s flank and both got nothing in return.

Rhys Evans was well protected throughout but needed to make one sharp save from Adam Miller. The rebound was tapped home by Jackson but he was offside.

You sensed there was only one end where a genuine goal was going to happen and it should have come eight minutes before the break when Law stole possession from Lewis on the halfway line.

The youngster threaded a pass through to the path of Daley, who cut in on goal with only Royce to beat, but the finish, on his favourite right foot, was woeful and he dragged the ball into the side-netting.

City’s tails were up, though, as Steve Jones and Boulding followed up with close efforts. A goal had to come – and it did a minute before the break.

Boulding was the instigator with a surging run into the Gillingham half. He got a lucky break when his pass intended for Daley bounced back to him off the heel of Garry Richards but made no mistake second time and Daley turned it home with an unconvincing side-foot.

Gillingham chairman Paul Scally had used his programme notes to slaughter the boo boys for their abuse after a recent home defeat to Lincoln. His attack fell on deaf ears as the home fans made their feelings very clear at half-time.

There was sign of a change in mood as the second half warmed up but the pattern of play remained the same, with City looking in complete control.

Gillingham’s day should have got a whole lot worse when Miller poleaxed Jones with a very late challenge off the ball. Referee Paul Taylor, who gave little City’s way all afternoon, showed great leniency to only produce a yellow card for the Gills captain.

Mark Stimson tried to counter Daley’s danger by bringing on the more resolute Nicky Southall for Peters but the home defence was coming under attack from all sides.

Jones was also enjoying a productive day on the other wing and he supplied the through pass that put the result to bed with 20 minutes left. Centre half Mark Bentley dived at it but missed, which left Boulding with all the time in the world to beat Royce for City’s second.

The winning margin could have been more conclusive. Boulding flashed a diving header wide and Daley took his eye off the ball to spoil a four against three counter-attack.

Daley departed with cramp but it was nothing to worry about. He will be fit for Jamaica’s friendly against Nigeria at the New Den on Wednesday – and his first chance to impress Reggae Boyz boss John Barnes.

The only downer was Graeme Lee’s fifth booking, which means he will miss his first game since inheriting the City armband.

But his team’s display had spoken volumes and sent out a message to the others bunched around them in the promotion chase.

Wycombe are up next, with Darlington to follow. City may have hit their stride at just the right moment.

Attendance: 4,866