Given I live in Kent my report is early. This was an ordinary match and similar to MK Dons. Pools were solid and ground out a result. No one made any fundamental mistakes and it good to have a solid keeper this season. It was quite a warm day but praise is due to Sam Collins who did not miss a ball in the air and Lidds alongside him was comfortable. Everyone stuck to their job and the familar CT / CW 2 banks of 4 in front of the keeper formation and do not chase balls in the opponents half when they are in possession was evident. We kept our shape very well.

Early doors Gillingham's Jackson showed good movement and Barcham is a dangerous speedy winger as the Gills tried to string passes together looking for Jackson who had a glancing header and an angled drive off target. For Pools Browny’s diving head and I think a good connection from a corner by Sam Collins both went just adjacent to the top right corner.’s

In the second half Pools were better and you will not see a better individual piece of skill on the turn than Browny goal? Receiving a lay off from Behan he dummy to go wide right turned to the left then check back onto his right to curl a beauty into the top right. He did was all good striker's should do: a cushioned first touch, feign to move one way then go the other and wrap your instep around the ball. A quality strike way beyond the rest of the fayre on offer.

At the end a couple of good saves by Flinders and one very impressive catch from a high ball.

Finally my lad was the Pools mascot today. Praise to Peter Darke who personally delivered the new away kit, good chat with CT and CW and well done Antony Sweeney who was very helpful with my lad and made him feel very welcome. It is great to see a player like Sweens have some time for my son who lives now 300 miles away from where his daddy was born, but has a growing affection for Pools and today's support from Antony Sweeney really helped him.

Jackson for the Gills is highly rated and mobile maybe quicker than most striker’s at this level, but as James Brown showed today pace is one thing, but a touch, turn and ability to calmly strike with the instep is another.

All in all similar to MK Dons this time with a winner. An enjoyable day in the sun !

Excellent to hear

listen

Do you know PoK did you go round his house for the BBQ and hat waving party