VENUE #112 GILLINGHAM Mems Priestfield Stadium

MEMS PRIESTFIELD STADIUM

    Priestfield Stadium has been virtually re-built since the current Chairman Paul Scally took over in 1995. On one side of the ground is the impressive looking Medway Stand. Opened in 2000, it is two-tiered, with a large lower tier and a small upper tier. In-between these tiers are a row of executive boxes, which also have seating outside. Opposite is the Gordon Road Stand. Opened in 1997, this is a much smaller single tiered stand, which is partly covered (to the rear). It contains a number of supporting pillars running across the back of it, plus it also has an unusual looking TV gantry perched on its roof. The Rainham End was opened in 1999. It is a single tier cantilevered stand, which replaced a former terrace. Opposite is the Brian Moore Stand. This is, in fact, a temporary seated stand that has been situated on top of an existing terrace. When I say temporary (considering that it has been there since 2003) I mean that the stand can be easily dismantled and re-assembled. This is the only open area at the stadium. This stand is named in memory of the legendary commentator and lifelong Gills fan, Brian Moore.

LAYOUT

 A   MEDWAY STAND

 B   GORDON ROAD STAND

 C   THE RAINHAM END

 D   BRIAN MOORE STAND

     Gillingham are hoping to improve on there league position this season after only finishing in 17th place in the last campaign.  The Gills boss Steve Lovell has secured a number of loanees and signings to strengthen the squad for the coming season.
     The Gills season got off to a great start with a visit to newly promoted Accrington Stanley last Saturday, Gillingham ran out 2-0 winners with goals from Brandon Hanlan and Josh Parker spoiling Stanley's return to the third tier of English football after a 50 year absence.

     Burton return to league one after a two season spell in the Championship, Albion narrowly avoided the drop in the first season but succumbed to their fate last season after being predominantly at the bottom end of the table.  It's safe to say that the brewers were punching above their weight in that league and should find it a little more comfortable this season.
     Saying that they hosted Rochdale at the pirelli last Saturday and ended up losing 2-1.  The Dale took a 2-0 lead after only 22 minutes of the first half, a brace from Bradden Inman (10,22) with Liam Boyce getting a consolation goal in the 71st minute.
     Being virtual new-comers to the football league Burton have not played many games at the Priestfield stadium in fact there have been only five occasions that this fixture has taken place, Gillingham winning four and Burton just the one which was the last encounter on the 12th of December 2015 the Brewers with a 3-0 victory goals from Damien McCrory, Lucas Akins and Anthony O'Connor, all were scored in the second half with the last two in the 90th plus minute.     

GILLINGHAM ... 3   BURTON ALBION ... 1

     Substitute Tom Eaves came off the bench after 33 minutes to replace injured Dean Parrett.  The 26 year old Gillingham striker was only on the pitch for 2 minutes before scoring the equalising goal for the Gills timing his run to perfection before slotting the ball past Burton keeper Stephen Bywater.

     Earlier Liam Boyce had given the visitors the lead when Kyle McFadzean's header was poorly dealt with by the Gillingham defence and Boyce picked up pieces to net for the second time this season.  Gills should have took a lead into the second half but Brandon Hanlan's shot after getting clear of the Burton defence rattled off the bar and over.

     Six minutes into the half and Gillingham did have their deserved lead when defender Luke O'Neill's free kick left Bywater with no chance from 25 yards. Burton tried hard to come back into the game especially when Scott Fraser was denied by Gills keeper Tom Holy.

     But the points were bagged when super-sub Eaves completed a brace when he pounced on a loose ball in the Burton penalty area and finished with aplomb putting his side in 4th place behind Barnsley, Doncaster and Peterborough all on the same points winning the first two games of the season.

     Priestfield stadium is a lovely little ground one of the better ones I've come across in it's size category everything just seems to gel and is very pleasing to the eye.  Fans are very pleasant and friendly and stewards are helpful.  The row markings are missing from some seats and steps so can be very confusing but apart from that it's good.

     Fans in the Rainham End could think of a better chant when winning the game than "we are the right side" and "we are the middle", the football wasn't that bad it was quite entertaining in places.

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VENUE #111 HAMILTON ACADEMICAL The HopeCBD Stadium

Hamilton Crushed At Home On Opening Day Of The Season              
               NEW DOUGLAS STADIUM

                      (THE HOPECBD STADIUM)        

     

NEW DOUGLAS PARK (HopeCBD Stadium)

     The HopeCBD Stadium was opened in 2001 and is not far from the site of their former Douglas Park ground from which they left in 1994 (the club ground shared in the intervening years). Alas, nothing remains of the old ground to be seen, in fact, the site is now occupied by a Sainsburys supermarket.

The ground is largely comprised of two fair sized stands at one side and at one end of the ground. Both are covered and all seated. They are unusual, in terms of modern stands, in that they are both raised above pitch level, which means that spectators have to climb a set of stairs, to reach the seated area. These have been supplemented by a small covered temporary stand on the East side of the ground. This area has a capacity of 700 seats. There are also four striking floodlight pylons in each corner of the ground. During 2013 the Club installed a 3G artificial playing surface.                                                                                Away fans are normally housed in the North (Spice Of Life) Stand where the view of the action is good. In addition the temporary East Stand can also be made available. The views from this area are not great as there is a row of supporting pillars running across the front of it. There is plenty of legroom in the North Stand, but wrap up well in winter as being as the ground is largely open, the wind blows right through it.                                                                  The ground was known as New Douglas Park, but in 2018 was renamed the HopeCBD Stadium in a corporate sponsorship deal.

GROUND LAYOUT

 A   MAIN STAND

 B   NORTH STAND  (AWAY)

 C   TEMPORARY STAND

    This is like a re-visit for me for I came up here on the 27th of December to see the Accies play Kilmarnock but with all the cold weather we were having at the time the game was called off a hour before kick off through a frozen pitch.  It was a bit of a bummer in more ways than one as it took us 8 hours to get to Hamilton because of the weather and the large amount of people who were travelling to and from Scotland over the Christmas holidays and, of course, Cross Country trains were in the midst of industrial action and cancelling trains right left and centre. 

    HEARTS Have a good record here at HopeCBD out of their last ten visits they have won 5, losing 3 and drawing 2.  Last season they won both league games here 0-3 and 1-2 finishing 4 places above Accies in sixth place 16 points clear of Hamilton in tenth.

    Manager Craig Levein has strengthened his team during closed season adding

2 new goalkeepers, Zdenek Zlamal joins the Jam Tarts from Czech side Fastav Zlin and Republic of Ireland keeper Colin Doyle who was released by Bradford City at the end of last season. Levein has also loaned back Steven Naismith for the 2018/19 season from Norwich City the Hearts head coach says he's thrilled to have the 31 year old attacking midfielder back at Tynecastle.  

HAMILTON ACADEMICAL ... 1   HEARTS ... 4

     A nice warm, sunny afternoon just the thing to bring out some decent football and the game started to that effect with Hamilton looking the most likely and indeed they took a justifiable lead after 17 minutes, Aaron Hughes hesitated in front of his own goal and allowed Mikel Miller to stab home the ball from ten yards.

     But that was as good as it got for the Accies for three minutes later Hearts were level, Christophe Berra head a header turned onto the crossbar by Accies keeper Gary Woods only for the corresponding corner taken by Steven Naismith causing havoc in the Hamilton six yard area and resulting with a looping header from Peter Haring to find the back of the net.

     The team from Edinburgh had responded well to going a goal down and should have taken the lead before the break Callum Morrison and Naismith both coming close but the home side managed to stay with Hearts until half time.

     In the second period though Hamilton's frailties showed in the light of some wonderful attacking play from Hearts and you could see the home side starting to collapse under some intense pressure.  It took only four minutes for the visitors to take the lead and turn things around, Naismith was making headway through the Hamilton defence in the eighteen yard area only for Alex Penny to bring him down from behind with a clumsy challenge.  The Norwich loanee took the spot kick himself leaving Woods no chance after he'd guessed the right way but the ball was struck superbly into the left hand corner of the net.

     Haring added another for his brace in the 58th minute with a beautifully taken side footed shot that left Woods with no chance.  The Hearts fans who filled the North stand and the temporary stand were in raptures while the home support were starting to find the exits.

     Things got worse for Hamilton when in the 62nd minute Steven MacLean hammered the final nail into the Accies coffin with a wonderful curling shot from the left which found the far side roof of the Hamilton net and extending Hearts marvellous record at Hamilton in fine fashion. 

     Accies have to come back quick from this defeat for last season Ross County found themselves bottom of the league from the start and couldn't manage to stop their relegation from the top flight for at the end the season will claim it's victim and from what I've saw today my money's on the team in red and white hoops.       

   

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