Joe Gbode scored his first Gillingham goal but it proved to be a consolation in the 2-1 defeat to Notts County at the MEMS Priestfield Stadium on Saturday.
John Coleman made two changes to the starting XI that drew at Grimsby Town in midweek. Jimmy-Jay Morgan and Elliott Nevitt returned to the side, having missed the game at Blundell Park.
Jack Nolan and Joe Gbode dropped to the substitutes bench, while Sam Gale made his first start at the MEMS Priestfield Stadium.
Gills were a matter of inches away from taking an early lead. Shad Ogie played it forward to Nelson Khumbeni, who dummied it, allowing Ogie to push on and latch onto the loose ball. He fizzed a cross toward Jimmy-Jay Morgan, who could not get the touch to send it goalward.
On 15 minutes, Matt Palmer won possession outside the Gills penalty area before laying it off to David McGoldrick. The former Republic of Ireland international tried bending a shot from 20 yards into the bottom corner. Fortunately, he sent it wide of the post.
Soon after, Glenn Morris was called into action, pulling off a magnificent save. A low centre found Alassana Jatta inside the box. The forward had to get the ball out of his feet before shooting, but Morris managed to get across his goal to pull off the save, pushing it wide of the post.
From the resulting corner, Notts County took the lead. The hosts could not clear the ball into the box, and Nick Tsaroulla took advantage, prodding a volley into the top corner of the net.
McGoldrick doubled the Notts County advantage on 20 minutes. He was first to latch onto a loose ball, racing through on goal before chipping the ball over the oncoming Morris.
Asher Agbinone had a half-chance on the half-hour. A long ball forward dropped to Morgan, who did well to bring it under control before laying it to the Crystal Palace loanee. He struck goalward, but his attempt was a tame one and Alex Bass made a routine save.
The visiting support thought they had added a third on 40 minutes. Jodi Jones had a free-kick just to the left of centre, 25 yards from the goal. He did well to curl it up and over the wall, nestling into the side netting. There were cheers from the away end before realising it had gone the wrong side of the post.
HALF-TIME: Gillingham 0-2 Notts County
There was one Gillingham change at half-time, as Gbode replaced Agbinone.
The hosts applied pressure on the Notts County penalty area during the opening 15 minutes of the second half but could not muster much pressure to test Bass.
Armani Little tried his luck from 25 yards after Gbode played the ball inside to him. His powerful, low-driven effort was at the Notts keeper, who could not hold onto the initial strike before gathering at the second attempt.
County came close to adding a third when Jatta met Kellan Gordon’s cross from the left. Fortunately, he guided his header wide of the post.
On 65 minutes, there were three more Gillingham changes. Bradley Dack, Jayden Clarke and Aaron Rowe came on for Khumbeni, Nevitt and Morgan respectively.
Bass spilt another Gillingham attempt after Clarke did well, making his way into the penalty area before shooting. It was at the Notts County goalkeeper, who could not keep a hold of it, and a last-ditch clearance prevented Gbode from meeting the rebound.
From the resulting corner, in the 80th minute, Gbode was not to be denied. Little curled a corner towards the back post for the academy graduate to head into the ground and past Bass at his near post.
Gillingham applied late pressure on the visiting penalty area for an equaliser but could not muster a final opportunity, as Notts County left the MEMS Priestfield Stadium with all three points.
FULL-TIME: Gillingham 1-2 Notts County
Gillingham: Morris, Hutton, Gale, Ehmer, Ogie, McKenzie, Khumbeni (Dack 65’), Little, Agbinone (Gbode 46’), Morgan (Rowe 65’), Nevitt (Clarke 65’)
Unused Substitutes: Turner, Clark, Nolan
Notts County: Bass, Bedeau, Platt, McDonald, Jones (Jarvis 74’), Abbott, Palmer, Tsaroulla (Gordon 61’), Whitaker (Edwards 73’), McGoldrick, Jatta
Unused Substitutes: Slocombe, Cundy, Johnson, Cisse
Referee: Tom Reeves
Attendance: 6031 (660 away fans)
