On a day when only one of League Two’s bottom ten clubs lost, Tom Nichols’ delightful volley on the stroke of half time secured Gillingham their eighth home win in nine outings and maintained the nine point cushion as Doncaster Rovers were beaten in warm Easter sunshine at Fortress Priestfield.

It was a glorious afternoon – a bumper Good Friday crowd of just under seven thousand; new owner Brad Galinson greeted fans as they left their trains at the station, and Neil Harris saw his charges win again at home courtesy of Nichols’ fifth goal for the club since his December arrival.

And that’s about as good as it got. This was one of those afternoons that where the football won’t live that long in the memory and there’s even the school of thought that Glenn Morris and his opposite number Jonathan Mitchell can barely have had quieter afternoons.

But the Gills boss and his players won’t care one jot because of the few moments of brilliance in very warm sunshine. Robbie McKenzie hurled a long throw into the Rovers box for the incredibly hard working Oli Hawkins to flick on for Nichols to turn shoot and score in a flash on the stroke of half time.

Indeed Nichols’ goal made up for a glaring miss early on that sadly set the tone – Alex MacDonald’s deep corner found an unmarked Nichols diving at the back post but his header sailed into the Brian Moore Stand.

Gills were so much on top without really creating that when Jack Goodman fired a warning shot inches past Morris’ post, suddenly the Gills were nudged.

They received a real elbow in the ribs on the half hour when Ben Nelson was allowed a free header from a corner that Morris totally lost, but the Gills keeper and packed Rainham End behind him were thankful for McKenzie who almost miraculously cleared off the line.

Finally the home side grabbed the initiative back and from McKenzie’s long throw, Hawkins found his strike partner and this time Nichols didn’t miss.

The Gills were dealt a blow on the stroke of the break when Conor Masterson was forced off with a possible concussion which may keep him out of Easter Monday’s trip to Northampton Town – he was replaced by Will Wright.

The second half was a frustrating watch with far too many stoppages although Referee Whitestone must be hugely commended for trying to allow the game to flow even when circumstances kept forcing the official to halt play.

Wright was the right man in the right place from the half’s first decent attempt on goal with just twenty minutes left as he took all the power out of a Rovers shot allowing Morris to just fall on the ball!

The Gills introduced George Lapslie for MacDonald and the change almost bore fruits instantly – Nichols and the substitute combined brilliantly only for Lapslie to just not be able to get enough power on his shot at goal.

Moments later the two combined again and this time Mitchell was bravely off his line to deny the Gills sub.

The home side were coasting in the final minutes as Doncaster really hadn’t threatened and the home fans wondered how many would possibly follow a second goal – which nearly came at the wrong end as Kyle Hurst’s drive out of the ball clipped the Gillingham bar on its way into the crowd.

But that was as close as the Yorkshiremen were to come and at the sound of the referee’s final whistle – albeit after five o’clock – Priestfield rose to salute their heroes knowing that this was one of those days when the result mattered so much more than the performance.

Six games left for Gillingham and a nine point cushion to the bottom two. Nine more points out of those eighteen will secure Neil Harris’ side a mathematical place in the Football League for another season – how many of the Gills fans who left Priestfield on the last Bank Holiday (the Boxing Day defeat to Colchester) would have even dreamt that would be the case come Good Friday… Job done – almost!

GILLINGHAM – Morris, Alexander, Ehmer, Masterson (Wright 45+5), McKenzie, Williams, Dieng, MacDonald (Jefferies 76), O’Brien (Lapslie 76), Hawkins (Abrahams 93), Nichols (Page 93).

Subs not used – Holtam, Coleman.

Goal: Nichola (44).

DONCASTER ROVERS – Mitchell, Nelson, Faulkner, Long, Seaman (Brown 66), Close, Barlow, Molyneux, Rowe (Ravenhill 66), Goodman (Agard 66), Westbrooke (Hurst 91).

Subs not used – Bottomley, Miller, Degruchy.

Booked: Barlow (88).

REFEREE – Mr Dean Whitestone

Attendance: 6,842 (192 Doncaster)