Report | Gillingham 0-2 Plymouth Argyle

Two second half goals secure the points for Argyle at Priestfield.

Plymouth scored two second-half goals as they won 2-0 at the MEMS Priestfield Stadium on Saturday afternoon in dreadful conditions.

Jordan Garrick scored within a minute of the second half, and Luke Jephcott scored from the penalty spot as the visitors left ME7 with all three points.

Neil Harris opted for an unchanged starting XI after the draw at Morecambe. Ben Reeves recovered from an ankle injury, which allowed him to take part from the subs bench.

There was a panicky moment for the Gills in the 20th minute. Macauley Gillesphey swung the ball towards the six-yard box, and Max Ehmer headed away. However, his attempted clearance hit the head of Niall Ennis and went goalward. Fortunately for Gills, it went wide of the target.

Panutche Camara came close to giving the visitors the lead in stunning fashion. A cross into the box was headed out as far as the midfielder, who struck it first time. It was rising and had plenty of power, but went over the crossbar.

 

HALF-TIME: Gillingham 0-0 Plymouth Argyle

 

Garrick put Plymouth in front shortly after the break. He ran towards the Gills penalty area from the right hand side of the field before cutting onto his left foot and curling into the bottom corner from 20 yards out.

On the hour, Conor Grant came close to making it two for the visitors. On a quick counter, the ball was eventually played across to the left side of the Gills penalty area. Grant drilled an effort across the goal, but it skidded just wide of the post.

Danny Mayor forced Aaron Chapman into a save in the 66th minute. The midfielder cut in on his right foot before directing a curling effort towards Chapman’s left. It proved to be at a comfortable height for the Gills keeper, who pushed it behind for a corner.

Plymouth won a penalty in the 75th minute after catching Gills on the break. They had multiple men over on the left. It was played over to that side, and Stuart O’Keefe slid in to try and win the ball. However, he made contact with Ryan Hardie, who went down, and the referee pointed to the spot.

Luke Jephcott, who came on as a substitute a couple of minutes beforehand, stepped up to take the spot-kick. Chapman went the right way, but it was just out of his reach as Jephcott found the bottom corner.

In the 80th minute, Jephcott came close to getting his second. Plymouth hit Gills on the break, and Jephcott drilled a left-footed effort across the goal, but it just went wide of the post.

Gills came close to getting back into the game through Conor Masterson. Ben Reeves’ corner went over Michael Cooper and fell nicely for Masterson, who challenged for it. However, it took a touch off the defender and went out for another corner, which the hosts could not capitalise on.

 

FULL-TIME: Gillingham 0-2 Plymouth Argyle

 

Gillingham: Chapman, McKenzie, Masterson, Ehmer, Tucker, Tutonda (Jackson 56'), Lee (Reeves 70’), O’Keefe, Thompson, Oliver, Dickson-Peters

Unused Substitutes: Dahlberg, Lintott, Maghoma, Phillips, Kelman

 

Plymouth: Cooper, Bolton, Gillesphey, Houghton, Wilson, Edwards, Mayor (Broom 88’), Ennis (Jephcott 73’), Grant, Garrick (Hardie 73’), Camara

Unused Substitutes: Burton, Randell, Law, Crichlow

 

Attendance: 5197 (822 away fans)

 

Referee: Paul Howard