Gillingham have won a football match for the first time in 2025! 

Seventy-six long days after the Gills won at MK Dons with Robbie McKenzie’s strike, on St David’s Day, it was a thunderous second half strike from St Robbie of Priestfield that finally gave John Coleman first win as Gillingham boss. 

Easing some of the fears of dropping into a relegation scrap as McKenzie’s sixth goal of the season now puts twelve points between Coleman’s men and the bottom two with twelve (thirteen games in the Gills case) games to go. 

After coming so close to getting the result against Fleetwood in midweek, Coleman named an unchanged side that was boosted by the return of Conor Masterson to the bench for the first time since the end of December. 

With both sides knowing just how important the three points were to them; the game was always going to be tight and so it proved. Skipper Amani Little tested Morecambe keeper Harry Burgoyne early on and Elliott Nevitt drove over from 25 yards before Joe Gbode’s curler just before the break as his curling effort just didn’t curl enough! 

The best chance of the half ironically came after Romeao Hutton’s cross deflected off a defender forcing Burgoyne into a really smart save with his right boot and as the ball fell to McKenzie, he just couldn’t get a decent contact on and the chance was gone. 

The Gills kept pressing – referee Ricardo found himself crossed off the Priestfield Christmas card list as he waved loud appeals for a spot kick away after Gbode was dumped on the ground. Max Clark let fly and didn’t miss the angle by much before Burgoyne pulled off a stunning save to deny Gbode, and from the corner Max Ehmer was inches away with a shot. 

Burgoyne produced another save with his feet to deny Little’s shot before with eleven minutes left, Gills finally got the break that the manager deserved – a long throw fell to Ehmer, who’s shot was blocked and as the ball fell to McKenzie, his rifled effort flew into the bottom corner. Did it get a flick off someone on the way? The Rainham End didn’t care and neither did McKenzie! 

Morecambe finally were forced into coming out of their shell but Ehmer and the youngsters – Andy Smith and Sam Gale – were not to be denied and the sense of relief at referee Ricardo’s final whistle could be felt all round the county! 

GILLINGHAM – Morris, Hutton, Smith, Ehmer, Gale, Max Clark, McKenzie, Little, Nevitt, Hawkins (Morgan), Gbode (Khumbeni) 

Subs – Turner, Masterson, Dack, Nolan, Jayden Clarke 

MORECAMBE – Burgoyne, Hendrie (Millen), Taylor, Stott, Macadam, Angol (Slew), Dallas (Edwards), Dackers, Cooke (Adam Lewis), Tutonda (Garner), Songo’o 

Subs – White, Paul Lewis 

REFEREE – Mr. Ricardo 

Image courtesy of Gillingham FC