It`s all very well Gillingham Chairman Paul Scally saying there isn`t a news blackout ("There`s no media blackout, we have just decided not to talk to the press until after the Crewe game") but a reliable source informs me that, once again, the Gills lost at home 3-1 yesterday to  again thwart our street`s weekly quest for three wins out of the three teams we`re bothered about.

Mind you, this week the Gills weren`t the only ones.   The Saints made the 670 mile round trip to Carlisle and thanks to inept defending, which included a spectacular own goal, combined with a reluctance to stick the ball in the back of the net, came away from Brunton Park with a 3-2 defeat.

Meanwhile, Charlton produced their best away win for eleven years when they visited the `Posh` of Peterborough and romped to a 5-1 victory.   Local hero, the newly dubbed `hardworking wideman` Scott Wagstaff was brought down in the area for the most blatant penalty ever witnessed but sadly had to leave the field suffering from a `dead leg,` a condition I frequently experience even when I`m not playing football.  So, well done Charlton but boo to Southampton and Gillingham.

In the meantime, speaking of media blackouts, I`m intrigued by what`s not happening to `Sir` Alex Ferguson, the Manchester United manager who continues to flout Premier League rules by refusing to give post match interviews to the BBC.  That`s been going on for 13 games now since the rule was introduced and which carries a maximum fine of £20,000 for each failure to comply.   So in theory at least, Ferguson now owes £260,000 and counting but it seems the Premier League may now `only` levy a fine of £5,000 for each refusal, thus slapping a bill for £65,000 on the Old Trafford doormat.  One rule for one and all that?

Seems to me that Paul Scally might be well advised to keep his head down until Gillingham climb out of their current slough of despond and it also seems unlikely that Ferguson will relent and do as he`s required to do under the Premier League rules.  Both of which might amount to blessings in disguise for those of us who are tired of Scally`s lame duck excuses and weary of Ferguson`s unintelligible Caledonian mumblings.

Oh well, there`s always next week.