First Gillingham goals from Jacob Mellis and Vadaine Oliver followed by Jordan Graham’s fourth goal of the season gave Steve Evans’ side a 3-1 Saturday lunchtime win over Oxford United at Priestfield.
It was just the second victory over Oxford in their last dozen meetings and was a performance that Evans described as one that the absent Gills fans should be proud of adding, “We had to find a way to win the game and we found it. We did it through organisation, shape and discipline.”
After Oliver’s header gave the Gills the 18th minute lead, Mellis’ low drive just four minutes later gave the home side a cushion that was then halved just three minutes after the break when Daniel Agyei reduced the arrears.
Both sides then created chances before Graham got on the end of Ryan Jackson’s cross after the move of the match to seal the points and propel the Gills into fourth in the early table.
Gillingham created the better early chances with Declan Drysdale having a chance blocked before Josh Eccles drove just over the bar. Graham then had an opportunity blocked before turning provider for Oliver to head home his first goal in a blue shirt from a set piece.
One soon became two as Mellis, who just before was denied by a good defensive block scored his first Gillingham goal as he shot low past Simon Eastwood in the United goal.
Stung into action, last season’s beaten Play Off Finalists and Cameron Brannagan forced Gills keeper Jack Bonham into his first save of the day just past the half hour, before the Oxford striker then twice more went close.
The visitors ended the half with the upper hand and Bonham was forced into excellent saves to deny Matty Taylor twice and Josh Ruffles.
Oxford continued to press at the start of the second half and duly pulled one back when Agyei beat Bonham, shooting into the bottom corner. Sam Long and Liam Kelly then were denied by the Gills back line before Mellis couldn’t convert a good chance for the home side.
It seemed to be the spur the Gills needed to get back into the game as Eccles twice shot from distance, the first bringing a great save out of Eastwood, but the second disappeared into the empty Rainham End.
Bonham’s booming kick then led to an Oliver header that went close at one end before Taylor’s close-range header at the other end cleared the Gillingham bar.
Graham’s fourth goal of the season at the end of a super move then duly arrived, the ball found its’ way to skipper Jackson, whose ball into the area found the Gills striker who drilled the ball home beyond Eastwood and into the net.
Two in front again, but the Gills couldn’t rest on their laurels as the visitors piled forward and showed just why they are surely to be in the mix again at the end of the season.
But the Gills back line, Jackson, Jack Tucker, Zech Medley and Connor Ogilvie, just about held on with a series of terrific blocks and tackles, with keeper Bonham behind them pulling off a couple of top drawer saves from Ruffels, before Medley almost turned provider for the hard working Dominic Samuel who in turn was well denied by Eastwood.
The chances at both ends kept coming in the closing stages, Samuel went close again for the Gills before Bonham denied substitute Sam Winnall at the other end, but the home side were not to be denied.
The win took Evans’s side up to the heady heights of fourth in the early season table. Gillingham have now just been beaten twice in their last twenty-two League games, but as the manager put it, this was an afternoon’s work that the absent Gills fans should be proud of, next stop Milton Keynes in seven days time.
GILLINGHAM – Bonham, Jackson, Medley, Tucker, Ogilvie, Mellis (MacDonald 84), Eccles, Drysdale, Samuel (Woods 95), Graham, Oliver (Akinde 92)
Subs not used – Walsh, Coyle, McKenzie, Maghoma.
Goals: Oliver (18), Mellis (22), Graham (70).
Booked: Drysdale (24), Graham (63).
OXFORD UNITED – Eastwood, Clare, Ruffels, Moore, Long, Agyei (Winnall 78), Brannagan, Forde, Henry, Kelly (Hall 80) Taylor.
Subs not used – Stevens, Gorrin Rodriguez, Hanson, McGuane, Sykes.
Goal: Agyei (48).
REFEREE – Mr Thomas Bramall
Image courtesy of Gillingham FC