Gillingham are finally mathematically safe in the SKYBet Football League after Bradley Dack’s first goal since returning to the Club was enough to beat MK Dons at Priestfield. 

Dack’s goal six minutes into stoppage time getting on the end of Conor Masterson’s knock down from Max Clark’s free kick not only secured the Gills Football League place but also finally gave Gareth Ainsworth his first win as Gillingham boss. 

The day was also memorable for young keeper Taite Holtham made his debut as Glenn Morris was ruled out with injury and kept a clean sheet behind a back line that saw Shad Ogie play in a back three alongside Masterson and Sam Gale. 

And it was Gale who forced Dons keeper Craig MacGillivray into a fine save with Elliott Nevitt denied at the last gasp from the rebound. Scott Hogan had the ball in Holtham’s net shortly after but to the young keeper’s relief and that of the Priestfield faithful, the flag went up. 

Romeao Hutton was denied by the Dons keepers boot after Robbie McKenzie’ magnificent ball to the full back, with the half’s final chance falling to Dons skipper Alex Gilbey fired narrowly over. 

Half time sub-Joe Gode nearly had the instant impact but was clearly impeded by a defender and “clearly” pulled to the ground as he tried to reach a Clark cross – the ball hitting the prone Gillingham man and rebounding into the keeper’s grateful arms. 

Clark fired wide on the hour just before match-winner Dack was introduced for Aaron Rowe.  

With the visitors offering very, very little, the Gills faithful began to wonder if it was going to be another one of those days where the home side couldn’t convert one point into three especially when Dack lopped a header onto the top of the bar from another teasing Clark free kick. 

Not that they should have worried though as with ninety-six minutes in the clock, another Clark free kick was hoisted into the box for Masterson to knock down and after a quick touch, Dack hammered home his thirty-second career goal for the Club, just seven years after the thirty-first! 

The noise at Priestfield was ear shattering as the light at the end of a long gloomy tunnel that this season has been, was finally reached – Gillingham safe to go again in League Two next season! 

GILLINGHAM – Holtam, Hutton (Clarke), Gale, Masterson, Ogie, Max Clark, Little, McKenzie, Euan Williams (Gbode) (Hawkins), Rowe (Dack), Nevitt 

Subs – Nolan, Agbinone, Morgan 

MK DONS – MacGillivray, Offord, Sanders, Maguire, O’Reilly, Lemonheigh-Evans, Thompson-Sommers (Kelly), Tomlinson, Hendry (White), Gilbey (Orsi), Hogan 

Subs – Trueman, Leko, Nemane, Waller 

REFEREE – Mr. Massey-Ellis 

Image courtesy of Gillingham FC