Luke Molyneux’s first-half goal proved to be the match-winner, as Doncaster Rovers beat Gillingham 1-0 at the MEMS Priestfield Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
John Coleman named Crystal Palace loanee Asher Agbinone in his first starting XI as Gillingham manager at ME7. Elliott Nevitt led the line in attack, with Jayden Clarke providing support. Armani Little and Ethan Coleman started together in the midfield.
The hosts somehow failed to put the ball in the back of the net in the opening minutes. Jack Nolan curled a corner towards Ted Sharman-Lowe, with Nevitt applying the pressure. The ball bounced off Nevitt before coming towards Coleman, who could not set himself in time as it ricocheted off of him and went just wide of the post.
Gillingham were awarded another corner, which Nolan rattled the post with. He curled the set piece deep towards the back post, hitting the woodwork before bouncing out. However, the referee’s whistle had already sounded for a foul against the Gills beforehand.
Jamie Sterry had Doncaster’s first opportunity when they won a free-kick in a central position 20 yards from the goal. The visiting right-back struck a low-driven effort underneath the wall straight at Glenn Morris, who got down to make a routine save.
In the 11th minute, Max Ehmer was denied by a brilliant save. Gills won a free-kick down the left-hand side, which Nolan curled into the penalty area. It was an excellent delivery, finding an unmarked Ehmer. The captain headed goalward and was denied by a fantastic reactionary save from Sharman-Lowe.
Gillingham continued their early dominance, and a Nolan free-kick caused some chaos inside the Doncaster penalty area. His curling ball just missed the oncoming Ehmer before the ball came out to Clarke on the edge of the box. He saw his thumping first-time strike blocked before the ball ricocheted around the box. It came to Robbie McKenzie, who had two attempts blocked before Agbinone had a swipe at it. The ball was blocked again, with the home players and supporters appealing for a handball. However, the referee remained unmoved against the appeals.
Luke Molyneux gave Doncaster the lead against the run of play on 33 minutes. He capitalised on a wayward back pass, finding himself one-on-one with the oncoming Morris before dinking the ball over the goalkeeper and into the far corner of the goal.
Agbinone did well in fashioning a chance soon after. He used smart footwork to take his marker out of the game before shooting from outside of the box. Sadly, he could not make the correct connection with his strike, sending it well wide of the target.
Billy Sharp somehow failed to double the visitors lead. The striker raced through on goal, latching onto a long ball over the top of the Gillingham defence before taking it past Morris, who had come off his line. Ehmer and McKenzie had made their way back onto the goal line to close the angle as Sharp blazed his shot clear of the crossbar.
HALF-TIME: Gillingham 0-1 Doncaster Rovers
Agbinone had a half-chance at the beginning of the second period. Little played a smart pass down the right for Clarke to latch onto in behind the Doncaster defence. He waited for support to arrive as he entered the penalty area, with Agbinone coming to the edge of the box. Clarke cut it back for the Crystal Palace loanee, who sent his first-time effort over the crossbar.
In the 66th minute, Agbinone forced Sharman-Lowe into action. The ball was headed down to the loanee inside the box, who did well to curl a shot around a defender towards the bottom right corner. However, it lacked the power to cause the Doncaster goalkeeper a problem, as he got down to gather the attempt.
Gills had to remain alert with 20 minutes remaining to prevent Doncaster from scoring a second. Molyneux did well to take two defenders out of the game before Harry Clifton struck goalward. Two home players were there to get touches on the ball to send it wide of the target for a corner, which came to nothing.
In the 74th minute, Gillingham made a triple substitution. Aaron Rowe, Bradley Dack and Joe Gbode replaced Clarke, Agbinone and Nevitt respectively.
Gbode had a speculative attempt during stoppage time. Gillingham were applying pressure on the Doncaster penalty area, and Nolan fizzed a cross into the box. Gbode, with his back to the goal, hooked a volley goalward. Unfortunately, it flew over the crossbar.
Nolan then tried his luck with a snapshot in the final seconds, sending his effort wide at the near post.
FULL-TIME: Gillingham 0-1 Doncaster Rovers
Gillingham: Morris, Hutton, McKenzie, Ehmer, Ogie, Nolan, Little, Coleman, Agbinone (Dack 74’), Clarke (Rowe 74’), Nevitt (Gbode 74’)
Unused Substitutes: Turner, Clark, J. Williams, Dieng
Doncaster Rovers: Sharman-Lowe, Sterry, Olowu, McGrath, Maxwell, Bailey, Sbarra (Clifton 64’), Molyneux (Anderson 90+3’), Street (Ennis 75’), Crew (Broadbent 64’), Sharp (Ironside 75’)
Unused Substitutes: Lawlor, Gibson
Referee: Lee Swabey
Attendance: 5814 (327 away fans)
