Saturday 12 August 2017
Sky Bet League One
Gillingham 0
Bradford City 1 (Poleon 19)
Kick Off: 3.00pm
at the MEMS Priestfield Stadium
Attendance: 5,267 (521 visitors)
Dominic Poleon's second goal in consecutive games proved enough to make it back-to-back league victories for City at the start of the new campaign.
Following on from his eye-catching strike against Doncaster Rovers in midway, Poleon was on hand in the first half to fire into the far bottom corner with a side-foot finish following Alex Jones' ball into the box.
It could have got even better for Poleon on the stroke of half time when he robbed Gills defender Max Ehmer of the ball to give him a clear run on goal.
Poleon calmly rounded Gills 'keeper Tomas Holy but he unfortunately could only scuff an effort wide of the post with the goal gapping.
Gills duo Josh Parker and Josh Wright squandered promising chances for the hosts as they pushed for a way back in the game after the restart.
Gillingham's efforts weren't helped, however, with the dismissal of striker Conor Wilkinson fifteen minutes from the end for a lunge on Timothee Dieng.
With a one-man advantage, City looked to make the game safe in the closing stages but sub Paul Taylor and Poleon were denied by Holy.
The Bantams were nearly made to pay for their inability to sew up the game when Gillingham had the ball in the net in the last minute of injury time.
Giant striker Tom Eaves pounced to convert from close range as Gillingham kept the ball alive in the box from a late free-kick, but any celebrations were cut short by the offside flag.
FT: Gillingham 0 Bradford City 1
90+4min: No goal! Gillingham have the ball in the net through Eaves but the flag is up for offside! Gillingham keep the ball alive from a late free-kick into the City box, Eaves fires home from close range after Wagstaff's shot had deflected into his path but linesman has his flag raised - phew!
90+3min: Poleon finds a pocket of space in the area but his effort for goal is pushed away by Holy.
90+3min: Taylor is played into space inside the Gillingham box but his low drive is repelled by Holy.
90+2min: As City struggle to clear their lines from a wide free-kick delivery into their box, Nash eventually ends the attack by sending a looping header over.
90min: There will be four minutes of time added on at the end of the match.
89min: SUBS - Gillingham bring on Liam Nash and Scott Wagstaff for Byrne and Parker respectively.
83min: Nicky Law's drive from just outside the box is held at the second attempt by Holy.
82min: Poleon looks to get a shot in on goal after being found in the box by Gilliead but his powerful strike from an angled is blocked behind by Zakuani.
75min: RED CARD - The hosts are down to ten men. Conor Wilkinson is given a straight red card for a lunging challenge on Timothee Dieng over by the far corner flag.
73min: Josh Wright heads comfortably over the bar from a good position inside the box after being found unmarked by Martin's corner delivery.
72min: YELLOW CARD - Tom Field is cautioned for bringing down Parker as the Gillingham attacker looked to burst clear down the right flank.
66min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Paul Taylor for Patrick.
63min: SUB - Gillingham bring on Tom Eaves for Lacey.
62min: YELLOW CARD - After an earlier telling-off, McMahon is booked for a late tackle on Connor Ogilvie just inside Gillingham's half of the pitch.
61min: O'Neill's clipped ball into the box falls nicely into the path of Parker but the striker prods narrowly wide of the post from a good position in the middle.
58min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Alex Gilliead for Jones.
57min: Ehmer heads down into the mix from Byrne's long throw-in into the box but McMahon and Doyle are able to watch the effort bounce wide.
54min: YELLOW CARD - Byrne is booked for bringing down Timothee Dieng as City's French midfielder looked to surge deep into Gillingham territory.
49min: Patrick's angled drive from inside the box is blocked behind via the outstretched leg of Zakuani.
47min: Martin's inswinging corner delivery looks threatening for a few seconds but eventually ends up dropping onto the roof of Doyle's net.
46min: Gillingham restart the match.
HT: Gillingham 0 Bradford City 1
45+3min: Lacey heads wide from a good position inside the six yard box following Martin's inviting free-kick delivery.
45min: There will be three minutes of time added on at the end of the first half.
45min: Oh no for Poleon! The striker robs Max Ehmer of the ball outside the box before moving forward and rounding Holy as he moves into the area. Poleon looks set to roll the ball in for his second of the game but his scuffed effort with his left foot rolls agonisingly wide with the goal open!
35min: Colin Doyle is forced into a smart save to keep out an angled drive from Josh Parker after City had failed to clear a long Byrne throw-in into the box.
33min: Reeves fires over from just outside the area after McMahon had played the ball to him direct from a corner delivery.
31min: YELLOW CARD - Lacey is booked for Gillingham after bringing down Jones as he looked to burst clear down City's right wing.
29min: YELLOW CARD - Omari Patrick is booked for a foul on Josh Parker just inside City's half of the pitch.
23min: Lacey heads over from Lee Martin's flighted corner delivery towards the far post.
22min: YELLOW CARD - Following the break in play brought on by Byrne's wayward effort, Jake Reeves is cautioned for an earlier challenge on Connor Ogilvie.
22min: Byrne fires over from distance.
19min: GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!! Gillingham 0 Bradford City 1 - Poleon gives City the lead! The striker is on hand to fire low into the fire bottom corner after the ball is fed to him from wide by Alex Jones.
18min: Dominic Poleon gets away from O'Neill over on City's left flank but his low centre into the penalty area is cleared in the middle by Lacey.
13min: Timothee Dieng moves into shooting space deep inside Gillingham's penalty area but the Frenchman's left-footed drive deflects up into the gloves of Tomas Holy.
5min: Mark Byrne's long throw-in into the six-yard box is flicked on by Conor Wilkinson but Matthew Kilgallon is in position is kick clear.
0min: Gillingham kick off the match.
GILLINGHAM LINE UP:
Holy, O'Neill, Lacey, Ehmer, Zakuani, Ogilvie, Martin, Byrne, Wright, Parker, Wilkinson
Subs: Hadler, Wagstaff, Hessenthaler, Eaves, Oldaker, Cundle, Nash
Gillingham substitutions:
Eaves for Lacey (63), Nash for Byrne (89), Wagstaff for Parker (89)
Gillingham dismissals:
Wilkinson (75)
Gillingham cautions:
Lacey (31), Byrne (54)
BRADFORD CITY LINE UP:
Doyle, McMahon, Knight-Percival, Kilgallon, Field, Dieng, Law, Reeves, Jones, Poleon, Patrick
Subs: Sattelmaier, Taylor, McCartan, Gilliead, Pybus, Devine, Robinson
Bradford City substitutions:
Gilliead for Jones (58), Taylor for Patrick (66)
Bradford City cautions:
Reeves (22), Patrick (29), McMahon (62), Field (72)
MATCH OFFICIALS:
Referee: John Busby
Assistant Referee: Carl Fitch-Jackson
Assistant Referee: Sam Lewis
Fourth Official: Nicholas Cooper