Gillingham fans have last the laugh after being told to ‘sit down’ by Cambridge’s Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu in the 1-1 draw on Boxing Day.
The U’s had gone ahead an early through Louis Appere’s 10th-minute tap-in, and dominated the first half, but Gillingham got one back in the second half.
Then, Robbie McKenzie had a penalty brilliantly saved by Jake Eastwood after Armani Little was fouled. The resulting corner was sent in by Bradley Dack and Clark guided his header home from six yards.
Kent Pro Images Colin Nash tweeted: “When the opposition miss a penalty and you decide to laugh and take the mickey out of the opposing fans, you better make sure that you and your team mates defend the resulting corner, otherwise you may end up looking a bit of a fool. @TheGillsFC”
When the opposition miss a penalty and you decide to laugh and take the mickey out of the opposing fans, you better make sure that you and your team mates defend the resulting corner, otherwise you may end up looking a bit of a fool. @TheGillsFC pic.twitter.com/dkh50F701I
— Kent Pro Images_Colin Nash (@KPI_Colin) December 27, 2025
The result extends Gillingham’s winless home run to three months, their last coming on the 13th of September.
Ahead of Monday’s fixtures, Gillingham sit 12th with 31 points from 22 games played, while Cambridge are 8th with 35 points.
Gareth Ainsworth said post match, per the club website: It was really good to have some players back. It was a sloppy goal to concede, but I think that at the end of the first-half we had seven shots to their one, and at the end of the second-half we have got to be double, nearly 20 shots at their goal to their five or six in the whole game. That to me is us back to our best, being the aggressors.
I thought that Josh Andrews was magnificent. I don’t often single people out, but I think that it showed that we missed him, definitely. There were some other good performances there, and I went with legs in the midfield. Me and Bradley [Dack] had a chat pre-Christmas, and we have to look after him with the run of games that we have got, but the subs made a good impact, I thought.
I think that Cambridge were happy for the final whistle, while we wanted ten minutes more to maybe kick on. It was brilliant for us to score, especially after just missing a penalty. I think that we have missed more penalties than teams have had penalties this season, and we need to sort that out. We definitely deserved the point. Probably a bit more.
On Conor Masterson:
He got a nasty injury against Walsall and has been on a big road back. We had some chats, and he wanted to be involved two games ago, and I came and saw him and said, ‘Look, Conor, we have to take our time with you.’ That’s the kind of boy that he is. He just wants to contribute to this team, and he cares so much about this club. Gillingham really gave him his chance, and he came here and is a warrior at times- a real leader.
There is every chance that Conor will be involved.
On the next three games:
It is going to be tough for teams with these four games in 11 days. They are going to have to go into their 12, 13, 14 and 15 players. They are going to have to do that. I have done it before, and I know what it is like. It’s a squad game, big time. Shadrach Ogie and Travis [Akomeah] were missing out on the squad today, and they were two players who have performed well for us lately.
Euan Williams is back, and Marcus Wyllie is back, so we have got depth now. I was dipping into the youth team for subs before, but we have definitely got depth back. I am looking forward to seeing what we can do over this Christmas period.
I think that the subs coming on impacted the game in the right way, and we haven’t had that for a few weeks, so that has been great for me. I have got some good decisions to make for Colchester on Monday. We will come in tomorrow and Sunday, preparing right, and I want another full-blooded performance like I saw in the second-half out there.
Cambridge boss Neil Harris, said per Cambridge Independent:
The ball needs a couple of Anadins, doesn’t it?! The ball was never on the floor. We had some good moments in the first half but jeez, that was a tough watch.
I’m disappointed with the goal (Gillingham scored). Ultimately they must have put the ball in our box 40 or 50 times today and it comes from everywhere. Even when the goalkeeper has got the ball, he booms it in the box.
You have to stand up to it and we did for most of it, but obviously we’re really disappointed to give the penalty away in the first place. But then it’s saved and you think ‘right, come on then. That’s our moment, we’ve got off the hook now go and see the game out’.
Fifteen seconds later we’re so naive. That’s my only disappointment, we’re so naive just in a moment like that. We’ve got to mature and I’m not just talking about young players, I’m talking about senior players as well – we have to mature and do better than that.
It’s a poor goal to give away, but we haven’t give many away this year, so I have to bemoan team somewhere.
In the first half we had some brilliant moves, we should have been two or three up. But then second half we didn’t have enough composure on the ball, we couldn’t get enough contact on the ball or first and second balls.
Gillingham went so direct in the second half, so aggressive in their approach. We stood up to it, but obviously we couldn’t get over the line. Ultimately, I look at it as a point gained.
On an incident early in the second half: I’d need to see it again but what I don’t understand with that incident is if our player is between their player and the ball and there’s contact, it has to be a foul.
It’s a foul at that end (the Gillingham penalty) but it’s not a foul at that end (the Cambridge incident). It is what it is.
Gillingham fans have the last laugh after being told to ‘sit down’ by Cambridge’s Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu…
@JRGills2000: Ironically sat his arse down on the goal line trying to stop it as well, blokes attitude stinks
@Matty_B44: He’s had a mare here 🤣
@louiseLunaPosh: And then he ended up sitting down 😂😂😂
@Kyle_McPherson: Let’s all laugh at cambridge… #pufc
@DM06MUZ: I hope he got loads of grief for giving it the big un 😂
@DanielForbes10: Pahahahaha what a melt 🤣
@IsaacStatue: Buffoon of the day. Thanks for capturing the moment!
@paulwradio:
My second team, Gillingham, doing lovely things here.
“Go sit down! Go sit down! Go sit down!” he yells.
Flat on his rear end with the Rainham End screaming with joy moments later.
@BradPassey: Just sit down @PellyRuddock 🤣🤣
@DomGFCBallard: The player telling the Rainham End to sit down is then conveniently the one flat on his arse trying to keep the goal out, unlucky Pelly lad 😂
@ciaranthomas91: Oh Pelly, absolutely legend, but he’s had a bit of a stinker here. #LTFC #COYH
