Gillingham slipped to their fifth home League defeat of the season as Accrington Stanley won at Priestfield for the first time since re-joining the Football League.
Every defeat at home base has come with a two-nil score line but arguably this would have been the most disappointing for Steve Evans, who had been looking for a response after the disappointing result at Doncaster at the weekend – sadly, all he got was the Gills losing back-to-back League games for the first time in a month.
The Gills boss’ mood wasn’t helped when Dominic Samuel was carried off in the opening half before Colby Bishop gave Stanley the lead on the stroke of half time – a lead that was doubled just before the midway point of the second half by Dion Charles which gave Accrington their first win in Kent.
Sadly, for any Gills fan watching the live feed of the game, the home side yet again started slowly, and keeper Jack Bonham was called into an early save to deny Sean McConville. The visitors went close on a couple more occasions before Vadaine Oliver fired over the home side’s best early chance with an acrobatic over head kick shortly after Samuel had been stretchered off with a worrying looking injury.
The half then went from bad to worse for the home side as in the last minute of the opening period Bishop headed the visitors ahead. It could easily have been worse for the Gills in first half stoppage time as Mark Butcher’s effort was blocked and McConville was again denied by Bonham.
Finally, the home side seemed to have got going in the second half – Josh Eccles had a shot blocked; Oliver shot wide; half time sub Tom O’Connor fired narrowly wide; John Akinde was then brilliantly denied by Stanley keeper Nathan Baxter – who was making his debut – before the Gills succumbed to the classic counter punch as Charles side footed the visitors into a two-nil lead.
The second Stanley goal knocked the stuffing out of the home side and as the half wore on, Gillingham just couldn’t find a way through, and with no recognised strikers on the bench, there just wasn’t a way past Baxter and the Stanley back line.
Steve Evans will surely be hoping for some Christmas cheer as the Festive programme continues at the weekend and a trip to Spotland to face Rochdale… perhaps Santa could give the Gills boss and supporters an early gift – a fit Jordan Graham maybe!
GILLINGHAM – Bonham, Jackson, Ogilvie, Drysdale, Tucker, McKenzie (Robertson 77), Dempsey, Mellis (O’Connor 45), Eccles, Samuel (Akinde 21), Oliver (MacDonald 77).
Subs not used – Walsh, Medley, Woods.
Booked: O’Connor (73).
ACCRINGTON STANLEY – Baxter, Burgess, Hughes, Nottingham, Prichard, Butcher, McConville, Conneely, Bishop, Charles.
Subs not used: – Savin, Barclay, Sama, Fenlon, Russell, Uwakwe, Cassidy.
Goals: Bishop (44), Charles (64).
Booked: Butcher (90).
REFEREE – Mr Webb
Picture supplied by Gillingham Football Club.