Despite a much improved second half performance, Gillingham’s winless run extended to seven matches under Ade Pennock as bottom side Coventry City won their first league match since 1st November, with a 2-1 victory at the Ricoh Arena.

A woeful performance in the first half saw the Gills ship goals to a close range header from Kwame Thomas in the 17th minute, then allow George Thomas time to pick his spot from inside the area four minutes later.

Max Ehmer gave the 582 travelling Gills fans some hope sliding home a consolation goal on 55, but this would be the first time this season that the Gills have failed to pick up at least a point when Ehmer has found the net.

From the kick-off, Gillingham made immediate inroads into a Coventry defence lacking in confidence with Bradley Dack striking a right-foot volley wide left from 25 yards within the first 12 seconds.  But that would be Gillingham’s clearest sight of goal in the first period.

Coventry, on a run of 15 league games without a win, looked to have been invigorated by reaching the Checkatrade EFL Trophy Final, and soon started to pick holes in the visitor’s defence.  Kevin Foley swung a freekick in from the left touchline, which eventually came through to Marcus Tudgay, who volleyed over on the turn.

The Sky Blues took the lead in the 17th minute from a flowing move down the left wing.  Ryan Haynes and Callum Reilly exchanged passes, with Haynes curling a high, hanging cross in towards the back post.  Tudgay ran in unchallenged to head the ball back across the goal for strike partner Kwame Thomas to head into an unguarded net.

Four minutes later, Coventry doubled the lead, but the goal came from a Gillingham half chance.  Jay Emmanuel-Thomas hit a straight ball between the two central defenders to find the chest of Dack, but the Gillingham man couldn’t retain control and the home side broke with purpose.

Once again, a cross in from the left, this time a low ball from Reilly, caused the problems, with Chris Herd’s clearance only going to the edge of the box.  Andy Rose attempted a shot that went straight to George Thomas standing on the penalty spot, and the midfielder had time to control, turn and pick his spot, sending Stuart Nelson the wrong way.

It could have been three on 24, as Dion Kelly-Evans crossed from the right and Tudgay ran in unmarked at the near post, but headed wide.

Then from a long clearance by Lee Burge, George Thomas held off Max Ehmer to get a shot away; this time blocked by the legs of a sprawling Nelson.

As the half came to a close, Gillingham started to find some joy from wide areas; Emmanuel-Thomas cutting in and firing a low shot wide right, then Ryan Jackson digging out a cross that was volleyed over by Josh Wright at the back post.  But the Gills were greeted by a chorus of “What a load of rubbish” from their own travelling fans as they trooped off at the interval.

Ade Pennock responded to the performance, switching to a 3-5-2 formation and making two half-time changes.  Both replacements, Lee Martin (for Emmanuel-Thomas) and Josh Parker (for Cody McDonald) brought a liveliness to the team, and Coventry for long periods struggled to cope with the extra man in midfield.

Gillingham’s consolation goal came from a right-wing corner earned by Parker applying pressure to substitute goalkeeper Reice Charles-Cook.  Dack’s deep corner was headed back across goal by Parker, towards the right hand post, where Ehmer was sliding in to finish emphatically.

Coventry started sitting deeper and deeper to try to protect their lead.  Lee Martin curled a right foot shot towards the left hand post, having weaved past two home defenders, but Charles-Cook was down well to smother the shot.

Gillingham thought they had equalised on 65 as Rory Donnelly fired home from inside the box, but the referee had already blown for a foul by Parker, trying to reach Dack’s cushioned header.  Dack and Mark Byrne then scrambled in the box to set up an opportunity for Donnelly, but this time, Jason Turnbull was the defender throwing his body in the way.

Coventry brought on Yakubu to try to give them a presence in attack and alleviate some of the intense pressure Gillingham were applying, and the former Everton forward curled a ball into the Gills box, only for Reilly to lift his shot over the bar.  Fellow sub, Jodi Jones, then found Yakubu, tightly marked by Oshilaji, but the Nigerian forward managed to turn and shoot, but Nelson was able to save comfortably.

Jones picked up a ball from Yakubu and forced Nelson into another save with his legs as Gillingham were being caught on the counter attack, but the Gills were still creating their own chances.  Martin had another shot half-saved by Charles-Cook, but the keeper was impeded by an attempted flying header from his own defender, Nathan Clarke.

The Gills were now throwing 7-8 bodies forward to try and force an equaliser.  Byrne had another long-range shot block before Ehmer fired wildly over.  Oshilaja lifted a straight ball into the Coventry box, where Donnelly won the initial header, but Parker, on the run, couldn’t apply any power to his header to test Charles-Cook.

So a poor away day for Gillingham sees them drop back to 18th in League One, just one point above the relegation zone.

COVENTRY CITY: 1- Lee Burge (23- Reice Charles-Cook 46); 30- Dion Kelly-Evans, 7- Nathan Clarke, 4- Jason Turnbull, 24- Ryan Haynes; 21- Kevin Foley, 12- Callum Reilly, 6- Andy Rose, 27- George Thomas (10- Jodi Jones 65); 20- Marcus Tudgay, 14- Kwame Thomas (22- Ayegbeni Yakubu 69).

Subs not used: 5- Gael Bigirimana, 8- Ruben Lameiras, 11- Kyel Reid, 19- Farrend Rawson.

Goals: Kwame Thomas 17, George Thomas 21

GILLINGHAM: 1- Stuart Nelson; 2- Ryan Jackson, 4- Chris Herd (3- Bradley Garmston 68), 5- Max Ehmer, 6- Deji Oshilaja; 44- Josh Wright, 33- Mark Byrne, 23- Bradley Dack; 50-Jay Emmanuel-Thomas (14- Lee Martin 46), 10- Cody McDonald (19- Josh Parker 46), 9- Rory Donnelly.

Subs not used: 30- Tomas Holy, 8- Jake Hessenthaler, 16- Emmanuel Osadebe, 21- Elliot List.

Goal: Max Ehmer 55

Cautions: Deji Oshilaja 19, Mark Byrne 51, Chris Herd 53, Bradley
Garmston 88

Attendance: 8,718 (582 away)

Referee: Mr Michael Salisbury
Assistants: Mr Michael D’Aguilar and Mr Duncan Street
Fourth Official: Mr Ian Dudley