Kyle Dempsey netted Gillingham’s first goal of 2021 as his first half stoppage time curler sealed Steve Evans’ side first points of the New Year from the trip to Accrington Stanley.
The skipper’s strike on the stroke of half time sealed the Gills third successive win at the Wham Stadium on the day that Olly Lee made his third debut for the club – and extended his own personal remarkable record in blue and white – that’s now just one defeat in the Hearts loanee’s last eighteen games for Steve Evans’ side following last season’s successful loan spell!
The Gills boss made four changes to the side beaten at home by Burton Albion last weekend with Lee, Alex MacDonald and Callum Slattery, making his debut on loan from Southampton, coming into midfield, whilst Jack Tucker returned at the heart of the defence for the departed Declan Drysdale whilst Robbie McKenzie, Scott Robertson and Tyreke Johnson all dropping to the bench.
The home side were denied by a fine brave save by Jack Bonham in the opening stages before the Gills went close from Lee’s angled shot, and MacDonald who was twice denied by Stanley keeper Nathan Baxter – the first with his legs and the second by a fine parry.
As a keenly contested first half drew to a close, the Gills struck. Jordan Graham sprinted clear down the left and as his centre found MacDonald, the midfielder’s touch diverted the ball to Dempsey, who brilliantly curled the ball around Baxter and into the net.
The Gills had a massive slice of luck just after the break as Michael Nottingham thundered a header against the underside of Bonham’s crossbar.
Dempsey went close to doubling the visitor’s advantage before Stanley hit back but couldn’t find a way through the blue wall that protected Bonham’s goal so very well for Evans’ sides for their first clean sheet since the home win over Swindon Town in early December.
In stoppage time, the visitor’s afternoon was complete as Stuart O’Keefe made his return for injury almost four months to the day after his season looked to have finished when he was carried off in the Carabao Cup victory against Coventry City.
All in all, a really good day in Cheshire for the Gills – their first league win – and first League goal – of 2021 leaves Evans’ side exactly at the midway point in League One, in twelfth place (seven points off the Play Offs and nine ahead of the dreaded drop zone) just the fillet before Tuesday’s next tough assignment and a trip to Sincil Bank to face League One leaders Lincoln City…
ACCRINGTON STANLEY – Baxter, Nottingham, Hughes, Burgess, Sykes (Cassidy), Butcher (Russell), Pritchard, McConville, Bishop, Conneely, Charles
Subs – Savin, Uwakwe, Barclay, Sama, Roberts
GILLINGHAM – Bonham, Jackson, Tucker, Ogilvie, O’Connor, Slattery, Dempsey, Graham (O’Keefe), Lee, MacDonald, Oliver (Akinde)
Subs – Willock, Walsh, McKenzie, Johnson, Mellis
REFEREE – Mr Drysdale