A determined Gillingham side battled for victory at Aldershot on Saturday as they maintained their fine league form.

Gills boss Andy Hessenthaler made four changes to the side that started the cup game at Bournemouth with Paulo Gazzaniga, Matt Fish, Andy Frampton and Luke Rooney all dropping out of the side as in came Ross Flitney, Garry Richards, Jo Kuffour and Frank Nouble.

Flitney for Gazzaniga was an obvious choice with the first choice keeper back after a knee injury, Richards replaced Frampton with the skipper missing the game through suspension, whilst Matt Fish’s place at right back went to Charlie Lee as the former Dover man missed the game with a thigh injury and Luke Rooney paid the price for refusing to sign an extended contract by being dropped from the squad altogether.

It was The Gills who scored with their first effort after just six minutes – Nouble meeting Danny Jackman’s corner with a glancing header which slipped past Shots keeper Jamie Young.

Luke Guttridge saw a free-kick tipped over seven minutes later by Gillingham stopper Ross Flitney and, after Danny Kedwell had gone close, the Gills got the second goal their first-half display deserved when Young allowed Whelpdale’s innocuous looking 30-yard effort into the net.

The Gills had chances to increase their lead before the break and showed at times the quality that Hessenthaler has been looking for all season and on another day they could have comfortably scored four or five before the break.

Whelpdale very nearly bagged his second of the afternoon on 70 minutes but, after briefly juggling with the ball, his left-footed volley dipped over.

Davies reduced the deficit to a single goal with nine minutes left on the clock with a well-struck effort but, despite the home side’s late rally, the Gills held on for three vital points that were well deserved based on their first-half performance alone.

 

FULL TIME: ALDERSHOT TOWN 1-2 GILLINGHAM

Saturday’s win takes The Gills up to eighth in League Two, just outside the play-off places on goal difference and next up is the FA Cup First Round replay with Bournemouth on Tuesday night.

Aldershot line up: Young, Herd, Straker, Jones, Brown, Rodman (Davies 66), Vincenti (Collins 54), Guttridge, McGlashan (Mekki 84), Rankine, Hylton.

Subs not used: Morris, Day.

Goal: Davies (81).

Booked: Straker (58).

Gillingham line up: Flitney, Lee, Richards, Lawrence, Martin, Nouble (Montrose 85), J Payne, Jackman (Weston 87), Whelpdale, Kedwell, Kuffour.

Subs not used: Gazzaniga, King, Oli.

Goals: Nouble (7), Whelpdale (36).

Booked: Whelpdale (35)

Referee: Mr Mohareb

Attendance: 3,449 (669 Gills)