Connor Ogilvie hits another winner at the Rainham End as Gills defeat MK Dons at ME7.
Connor Ogilvie’s thunderous second-half effort secured all three points as Gills beat MK Dons 3-2 at the MEMS Priestfield Stadium on Tuesday evening.
Ryan Jackson’s long throw was headed as far as the Gills defender, who did well to control his half-volley, which bolted into the bottom corner.
Will Grigg had given MK Dons the lead in the fourth minute. He did well to drive towards the penalty area before curling a shot from 20 yards beyond the reach of Jack Bonham.
Gills were awarded a penalty in the 27th minute after the referee gave a handball. Jordan Graham stepped up and blasted his spot-kick into the top left corner giving Andrew Fisher no chance.
Vadaine Oliver put Gills 2-1 up before half-time. He took advantage of a mix up by the visitors and latched onto the loose ball. He dribbled towards the penalty area before slotting it past the oncoming Fisher.
The visitors equalised deep into first-half stoppage time. Will Grigg managed to get beyond Tom O’Connor and cut the ball across the six-yard box. Warren O’Hora was first to meet it and bundled the ball into the bottom corner.
Steve Evans named an unchanged starting 11 and substitutes bench from the one that drew at Portsmouth at the weekend.
MK Dons dominated the early possession and were rewarded in the fourth minute. Will Grigg ran through the centre of the pitch before curling a shot towards the bottom corner, giving an outstretched Bonham no chance.
Scott Fraser dragged a shot from the edge of the box wide in the 17th minute. The ball ricocheted out towards him, and he tried a first-time effort but was unable to find a clean strike.
Gills had a good half chance in the 20th minute but were unable to make the final touch. Kyle Dempsey’s perfectly weighted pass found Jordan Graham, who beat his man. He dragged a low ball across the six-yard box, but Vadaine Oliver could not make the final contact.
Dempsey had a shot blocked for a corner moments later. An MK Dons pass across the pitch was intercepted by the Gills captain, and he did well to bring it under control. He then drove into the penalty area and aimed a shot towards the far post. However, the block saw it go towards the near post. The eventual corner came to nothing.
In the 27th minute, Gills were awarded a penalty. A Ryan Jackson long-throw ricocheted around the penalty area, and the hosts appealed for a handball. The referee agreed with the protests and pointed to the spot.
Graham stepped up and levelled the game for Gillingham. He rifled his penalty into the top left-hand corner giving Andrew Fisher no chance.
Gills took the lead in the 44th minute through Oliver. Olly Lee did well to win a header, and an MK Dons defender tried playing it back to Fisher. The ball back was under-hit, and it allowed Oliver to latch onto the loose ball. Oliver took his time as he dribbled towards the goal before placing it beyond the goalkeeper and into the back of the net.
Oliver had a good chance a few minutes later. He beat the MK Dons offside trap and dribbled towards the box. He used good footwork to create an angle to shoot, but his shot was a simple save for the keeper.
Warren O’Hora equalised deep into first-half stoppage time. Following a short corner routine, Grigg got behind Tom O’Connor and pulled the ball back across the six-yard box. O’Hora was first to meet it and bundled the ball into the bottom corner.
HALF-TIME: Gillingham 2–2 MK Dons
Andrew Surman missed a guilt-edged chance in the 57th minute. Gills did not deal with a ball into the penalty area, and Surman got in behind. The ball sat up for him to shoot, but his left-footed effort cleared the crossbar.
On the hour mark, Cameron Jerome tested Bonham. MK Dons hit Gills on the counter-attack, and Jerome was played in. From a tight angle, he tried a left-footed shot towards the near post, but Bonham was equal to it.
Fisher was forced into a brilliant save after a fantastic effort from Lee. O’Connor played it into the feet of the forward, who did well to turn from his man. He unleashed a left-footed effort from 25 yards which look destined for the top corner. However, Fisher got his fingertips on the shot to push it over.
Connor Ogilvie restored Gillingham’s lead in the 74th minute. Jackson’s long throw into the penalty area was headed down into the path of the Gills defender. Ogilvie ran onto it and thundered a half-volley into the back of the net, leaving Fisher rooted to the spot.
Matt O’Riley tried his luck from 20 yards in the 81st minute. He brought the ball onto his left foot, but his effort cleared the crossbar.
Deep into stoppage time, Bonham did brilliantly denying O’Riley. The midfielder cut onto his left foot and curled a shot towards the goal. Bonham was on his back foot and pushed it over the crossbar with a stretched arm.
FULL-TIME: Gillingham 3-2 MK Dons
Gillingham: Bonham, Jackson, Tucker, Cundy, Ogilvie, O’Keefe, Dempsey, Graham, Lee (McKenzie 84’), O’Connor, Oliver (Akinde 86’)
Unused Substitutes: Bastien, Morton, Willock, Woods, Johnson
MK Dons: Fisher, O’Hora, Darlin, Lewington (Brown 90’), Jules (Sorinola 79’), Surman (McEachran 73’), Laird, O’Riley, Fraser, Jerome (Mason 74’), Grigg (Houghton 74’)
Unused Substitutes: Nicholls, Gladwin, Brown
Referee: Sam Purkiss