Perfect start to new era II

NEAT FEAT...Billy Mckay turns inside his Gills marker

2 More Image(s) In Gallery

IN the opinion of plenty, 2016 wasn't a vintage year.

The election of Donald Trump as US president, the death of iconic music star David Bowie and the loss of The Great British Bake Off from the BBC schedules - all of these events contributed to an earth-shaking period of 12 months.

It is almost as if you wish someone could press the 'reset' button and start all over again.

And in that spirit, Athletic did just that last week.

Into the horrible history book went the seismic summer, when John Sheridan left for Notts County, that lengthy, patience-testing search for a replacement and the seemingly unrelenting misery on home soil that brought four home goals (and 12 in total) in 2016-17 right up to before kick-off here.

With boss Stephen Robinson leaving after the third defeat to lower-league opposition in Mansfield, the board chose to switch everything off and then on again.

Back came Sheridan, 12 months to the day after he had been first appointed, with the wish of all now being to repeat the first three-and-a-half months and nothing after it.

And he could not have asked for a better introduction.

Athletic won, for the first time at home since October, thanks to Josh Law's well-taken 39th-minute free-kick.

DOUBLED

Gillingham pressed in the second half, but barely brought a save out of Connor Ripley while at the other end, Law almost doubled his tally with a rasping drive that flicked off the crossbar in added time at the end.

It was a contest low on quality, but Athletic's nerviness and lack of finesse while showing guts to stick it out to three points in no way pulls the wool over the wily Sheridan's eyes.

Athletic's deficiencies were on show here - this was arguably a less cohesive performance than in the draw against Port Vale - and the new man in charge will have few illusions now as to where he needs to add to his existing, threadbare squad.

Sheridan took in the game in the director's box in the Main Stand thanks to the serving of a fifth and last game of a touchline ban at Notts County, where nine straight defeats led to his exit from Meadow Lane.

And straight away, after one day taking training, he stamped his authority. He restored Cameron Dummigan - one of his stars last time around - and Lee Erwin to the starting line-up while maintaining the 3-5-2 formation, with assistant Ian Baraclough and goalkeeping coach Carlo Nash issuing the instructions from the home technical area.

Gillingham also had a new boss in charge for the first time in former Forest Green manager Ady Pennock, who succeeded Justin Edinburgh.

And it was the man in the visiting dug-out who was by far the less pleased with his lot by half-time.

Athletic started a little nervously, giving away cheap free-kicks and with Ryan Jackson's long throws from the right touchline causing a few difficulties.

BANDAGE

A long stoppage arrived when Peter Clarke collided with Gills goalkeeper Stuart Nelson, with Athletic's captain needing a head bandage and the visiting number one treatment to a mouth injury.

It didn't help the flow of the game. When the goal came after 39 minutes, though, it was on the back of some fluent play.

Ousmane Fane, who had a mixed afternoon in possession, drove from his own half to open up space and fed Billy Mckay. The striker was crowded out, but did enough to win a free-kick on the cusp of the penalty area.

Nelson seemed to leave a lot of space in behind the wall to his left and when Law guided the ball over the defenders, he could not get across in time to stop it finding the net.

It was the third goal of the season for Law and second free-kick, the first being an effort from a similar position against Shrewsbury.

Gillingham came closest to a goal two minutes before the interval. Jackson's booming throw was not cleared and defender Max Ehmer, with his back to goal, fashioned a smart overhead kick which Ripley did well to palm away diving to his right.

Sheridan disappeared down the stairs from the stand to issue instructions to his side at half-time.

Erwin got in the thick of things. He ended a weaving run into the box with a left-footed shot he poked wide and then Mckay forced a save from Nelson when rising to head at goal after Ryan Flynn's shot had deflected and spooned up into his path at the far post.

Law had his shooting boots on and forced Nelson to tip over another free-kick, this time from much further out, before Gillingham started to crank up the pressure a little - in territorial terms, at least.

Young winger Elliott List flashed a header wide and Bradley Dack was not far away with a curling 25-yard free-kick Ripley was relieved to see pass his left-hand post.

Dack also headed straight at Ripley, but in truth the Gills did not offer enough to threaten Athletic's goal of completing a first league double of the season.

One of last season's League One stars, Dack twice tumbled under half-challenges in the box - he was booked the second time for diving - while Law nearly made it 2-0 from 25 yards out in the fourth minute of added time.

The final whistle was greeted with a huge roar, as fans leaving the ground chanted Sheridan's name once again.

IN A NUTSHELL: The new, new John Sheridan era has started.