Gillingham’s stop start 2018 was in evidence on Saturday as the year came to a shuddering end at Priestfield in the most disappointing, and frustrating way possible as Doncaster Rovers won comfortably.

Where the Boxing Day triumph over leaders Portsmouth saw heroes and heroic performances all over the pitch, the last game at home in 2018 saw the visitors take advantage of some dreadful defending, poor mistakes and an all-round off day as the Gills succumbed to their seventh home League defeat of the campaign.

What made it worse for Steve Lovell was the fact that during the game the home side lost Brandon Hanlan, Dean Parrett and then Barry Fuller to injury.

The home side were behind when former loanee John Maquis scrambled home from the edge of the box after the defence that had been so magnificent just days before parted like the Red Sea as the Rovers top scorer rolled the ball home – the Rovers man’s 16^th goal of the season completely wrong-footed Tomas Holy after the cruellest of cruel deflections.

Not even the half time introduction of Tom Eaves could kick start the home side, whose forward runs were limited to the ever increasingly lively Elliott List who was undoubtedly helped by having the mobility of the top scorer making the additional runs that simply hadn’t been there in the first half.

A horrendous misunderstanding between Tomas Holy and Connor Ogilvie gifted Rovers a second as Malik Wilks walked the ball into an empty Town End net.

Two soon became three as Danny Andrew’s speculative shot through the crowd deceived the unsighted Holy and crashed into the Gills net. That just summed up the home side’s afternoon!

Marquis then missed a golden chance to make it four only to be denied by a fabulous block from Luke O’Neill after yet another defensive mistake before the Gills did finally find the net.

List did really well down the left and saw his centre powered against the bar by Eaves’ header with Callum Reilly on hand to sweep up with eight minutes left.

Was there time for a grandstand finish?  Perhaps there might have been if Rovers keeper Ian Lawlor hadn’t pulled off the save of the game to deny Ogilvie after the full back met Mark Byrne’s 90^th minute cross with a sweet half volley which the keeper bundled wide of the post to sum up a disappointing end to a series of frustrating home games at Priestfield in 2018.

 

Gillingham line up: Holy, Fuller (O’Neill 59), Ogilvie, Lacey, Zakuani, Parrett (Bingham 26), Byrne, Reilly, Parker, List, Hanlan (Eaves H/T).

Subs not used: Hadler, Garmston, Mbo, Rees.

Goal: Reilly (88).

Booked: Byrne (39).

Doncaster Rovers line up: Lawlor, Andrew, Butler, T Anderson, Blair, Whiteman, Kane, Rowe (J Anderson 85), Wilks (Crawford 77), May (Boocock 91), Marquis.

Subs not used: Marosi, Blaney, Lund, Gibbon.

Goals: Marquis (28), Wilks (54), Andrew (61).

Booked: Rowe (53).

Referee: Mr Neil Hair.

Attendance: 4,791 (272 Doncaster)

Picture supplied by Kent Pro Images.