A look back at the promotion winning campaign
Richard Day looks back on the record-breaking 2012-13 League Two title winning campaign, today we review the games in August…The season officially got under way for the Gills on August 14 as Martin Allen got to see his team in competitive action for the first time when they travelled to Ashton Gate for a Capital One Cup First Round tie against Bristol City.
Tom Flanagan, on loan from MK Dons, Ben Strevens plus Bradley Dack and Adam Birchall, both from the bench, made their debuts that night which saw Danny Kedwell open the scoring with a 45th minute penalty and Strevens doubled the lead before Marvin Elliott netted a late consolation.
It was on August 18 that the League Two campaign got under way with much-fancied Bradford City arriving here at MEMS Priestfield Stadium.
Kedwell opened the scoring with an excellent effort, clipping home from almost on the goal-line two minutes before the break and added another from the spot in the 54th minute.
Then, after Nahki Wells’ penalty had pulled one back for the Bantams, debutant Myles Weston broke away down the left and drilled home a low shot across Matt Duke to complete a 3-1 victory and secure the three points in Martin Allen’s first league game in charge.
Among his post-match quotes following the game a philosophical Martin Allen said "Another thing to cope with is the high expectations now."
Three days later Adam Barrett made his debut for the Gills as they recorded a 1-0 win against Wycombe Wanderers at a wet Adams Park.
Joe Martin scored the only goal of the game in the 56th minute when he was in the right place to side-foot home after Weston’s free-kick had come back off a post.
They managed to hold on for a narrow win despite the 78th minute dismissal of Flanagan for a second bookable offence.
At the end of a busy opening week Gillingham won 2-1 at Dagenham & Redbridge as storms battered East London.
Amongst the thunder, lightning and heavy rain Deon Burton scored his first goal for the club on the half-hour, nodding home Matt Fish’s cross but just four minutes later Dwight Gayle levelled matters with a penalty.
The winner came in the 62nd minute when Weston held off two markers before firing past home keeper Chris Lewington.
Martin Allen said afterwards "We weathered the storm [literally], fought back well from the equaliser, and did a fantastic job.”
Middlesbrough came to MEMS Priestfield Stadium for the final game of the opening month in the Second Round of the Capital One Cup and it was the visitors that claimed victory thanks to a goal in each half from Mustapha Carayol and Cameron Park.
Following the game Boro boss Tony Mowbray said "First half, we were exceptionally good and probably deserved to be more than one up. Second half, we got dragged into a scrappy affair and weren't as fluent. We finished strong though."
League form – WWW
League position at the end of the month – 2nd
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