Ashley Nadesan maintains Gillingham’s winning start against Accrington

By Sports Desk August 12, 2023

Ashley Nadesan’s first league goal for Gillingham continued their winning start to the season with a 1-0 victory over Accrington.

Summer signing Nadesan calmly slotted past Stanley goalkeeper Toby Savin in the 29th minute after converting Tom Nichols’ pass.

Savin kept Stanley in the game with an excellent reaction save to deny Robbie McKenzie six minutes later, after the visitors failed to clear a Gillingham corner.

Accrington’s on-loan striker Josh Andrews headed wide shortly after the break, before Jack Nolan’s curling free-kick from 20 yards sailed inches past a post as the visitors chased an equaliser.

Gillingham, who knocked Sky Bet Championship side Southampton out of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday, came close to doubling their lead when Nadesan’s poked effort was deflected wide by Seb Quirk.

Substitute midfielder George Lapslie failed to hit the target from close range and Scott Malone almost scored a spectacular solo effort on his home league debut, but Neil Harris’s side had already done enough to secure their first home victory over Stanley since March 2013.

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    Ibrahim Konate had given Slot’s men the lead on the stroke of half-time but the home side levelled soon after the restart through Rayan Ait-Nouri.

    Moments later, Nathan Semedo bundled over Diogo Jota in the penalty area and Mohamed Salah made no mistake from the spot to continue his and Liverpool’s fine start to the season.

    The Egyptian has now scored 10 winning goals in the competition from the spot, only bettered by Alan Shearer with 12 and Frank Lampard with 18.

    Despite going top, Slot insisted it was too early to speak of his side as title contenders, with just six league games played.

    He said: “It feels good, you want to be up there but it doesn’t tell me that much at the moment.

    "If you look at Wolves they are down in the table but they played much better than that today. After 19 games, it’ll tell me something, but not after six."

    Slot praised his opposite number Gary O’Neil for causing his side some problems early on, but once tactical adjustments were made, the Dutchman was pleased with the amount of control his side exerted.

    He told Sky Sports: "I don't think we started well, but we have to give credit to Wolves and Gary O'Neil.

    "They had a really good gameplan. We had some problems in the first 20 minutes, but afterwards we took control of the game.

    "We were patient and kept circulating the ball and kept waiting for the right moment to bring the ball in."

    Wolves’ poor run of form continues and they sit bottom of the league, with no wins to their name and just a solitary point from their first six games.

    O’Neil was still proud of his players after a narrow defeat and is adamant his side have deserved more points from their opening matches than the table suggests.

    "They went toe-to-toe with one of the biggest clubs in the country,” said O’Neil.

    “I am gutted for the lads, with what they have given in the last six games, they deserve more points.

    "The responsibility of the result... I accept that, but I also need to praise the lads for delivering performances against opposition like this.

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    The 41-year-old, who joined the club on the eve of the 2023-24 season, admits he has no control over whether he will continue as head coach.

    "I can't control other people's belief in me. All I can do is the best I can do," he said.

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    It leaves the visitors without a win in their last six games in the Premier League. 

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    Data Debrief: Defence first

    Celtic have kept a clean sheet in each of their last six games in the league.

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