24th February 1973
Football League
Gillingham 1-0 Exeter

Exeter earn praise from Andy

GIllingham shook off those Newport blues and returned to winning ways at Priestfield with a narrow defeat of promotion-chasers Exeter, writes TERRY OWEN.

And the scoreline reflected just how close this vital clash was for Gillingham. It took a penalty by Dave Peach just 30 seconds from the half-time whistle to separate the two teams.

The win was the Gills' sixth from the last seven outings and kept them on the fringe of the promotion race. The match itself was always evenly balanced to keep spectators interested to the final whistle. Exeter came to Priestfield with just one point from the last three games. But on Saturday they were always in the hunt with a performance that brought praise from Gillingham boss Andy Nelson.

He said: "Exeter were a very good side. They played with more thought and planning than anyone we have met at home during our successful spell. They were well organized and made us defend all the time."

Certainly Exeter had their fair share of the play. And they went within a whisker of snatching a point when centre back Jimmy Giles rose high above everyone to meet a corner and head only inches over midway through the second half.

But Gillingham's defence was compact and tenacious to deny City much freedom in front of goal, although midfield offered some headaches when the Devon club pressurized. Skipper Dave Quirke policed the back with much more authority, Dave Peach had one of his season's best games and Dave Galvin also showed up well in the heart of the defence. The twin threat of free scoring Fred Binney and Dick Plumb was unusually contained. It was another front runner who stole the limelight Gillingham's Damien Rich ardson, who is rapidly becoming a firm favourite of the fans. Richardson must rate as the bargain buy of the year. His enthusiasm, skill and aggress ion is always evident, but it was something so out of character for him that stopped Gills from getting a more convincing scoreline. Leading by Peach's penalty, the second half was only nine minutes old when Peach and Graham Knight set up a great chance for the Irish striker. But Richardson's usual meticulous timing went awry as he swung wildly at the chance and sliced the ball wide.

Chances were few and far between in a match marred by a blustery wind. Those that did fall went to Gillingham. Exeter, strong in defence, broke quickly along either flank but, with the exception of Giles's flashing header, rarely created a clear-cut scoring opportunity to trouble stand-in 'keeper Peter Shearing. The game's only incident came in the 26th minute when referee Tommy Dawes, whose influence on the game was stamped from the first whistle, booked Graham Parker for a tackle on Alan Wilks. Exeter, with the advantage of the end to end wind, were first to settle, and it was Plumb who caused most of the problems. He went close with a downward header from Steve Stacey's cross and John Neal almost made it with a header that was too high. Alan Clarke, signed on loan from Charlton for the rest of the season, showed a safe pair of hands in the Exeter goal and did well to take a header from Knight on the line. But he was left scrambling across his goal when a Tydeman corner was pushed out only as far as Richardson whose hook-shot went wide.

Exeter made vain appeals for hands against Keith Lind sey in the 33rd minute. Plumb was first to a corner kick and his header was cleared off the line by Lindsey.

Parker, Giles and Clapham were prominent in City's defence but the Gills might have snatched the lead in the 40th minute. Tydeman's corner kick found Richardson who flicked the ball intothe area and George Jacks hooked it over. Just when the teams looked as if they would turn round goalless, Gills were awarded a penalty and there were no complaints from Exeter. Alan 


Wilks was felled by Graham Parker and Dave Peach ham mered the ball into the roof of the net.

It was a piece of luck at a crucial stage. It gave Gills the incentive to push at City in the early part of the second half and after only two minutes Knight met a free-kick from Tydeman and sent a glancing header just wide.

Galvin had to throw himself across his area to head a cross shot from Dave Gibson to safety and then came that vital miss by Richardson.

Tony Morrin kept Gills alert with a fierce drive that wasn't too far off target but back came Gills with Richardson having a shot deflected.

Exeter always countered with plenty of enthusiasm and drive. But their only opportunity of the half was Giles's 75th minute header.

Richardson always posed problems and when he raced on to Tydeman's through ball shortly before the end, his deflected shot was cleared at the expense of a corner by Jimmy Blain.

Gillingham: Shearing: Lind sey, Peach; Quirke, Galvin, Tydeman: Jacks, Hill, Rich ardson, Knight, Wilks. Sub: Aitken.

Exeter: Clarke; Stacey, Blain: Parker (Wingate). Giles, Clapham; Neal, Binney, Plumb, Morrin, Gibson.. Attendance: 4,695.