Gillingham Ladies slipped to defeat against Plymouth Ladies for the second time this season at Chatham Town on Sunday afternoon.

Match report by Kevin Humphreys

The Gills started brightly and had best of the first half but Plymouth took control early in the second and remained in control throughout the remainder of the second half.

Plymouth took the lead in the 57th minute through a long range effort from Rebekah Rose & doubled their lead ten minutes later from a stunning free kick by Laura Perrett.

The Gills came out of the traps quickly once again and it took just 33 seconds to get the first shot of the game on goal, a well worked moved to Lauren Phillips ended with her shot being blocked.

The Gills continued to control the game and push and a well worked move found Vicky Ashton-Jones who had room to work down the wing, a nice cut back to Lauren Phillips was closed down only for Phillips to lay the ball off to Emma Tune whose strike was blocked by a Plymouth defender.

The game turned a little scrappy at the midway point of the first half as both teams battled in the midfield for control and that all important upper hand.

With 34 minutes gone Plymouth had their first shot of the game when Laura Perrett fired a free kick from distance on goal, only to see her dipping effort tipped over the bar by Sarah Quantrill in the Gills goal.

The Gills continued to press for the opener and shortly before half time captain Danni Farmer curled a cross into the area towards Vicky Ashton-Jones who saw her shot go just wide.

Half Time 0-0

The second half saw the teams flip in terms of possession as Plymouth came out strong, and with just under two minutes gone Emily Mousley found space to shoot only to see her effort go wide.

Vicky Ashton-Jones again found space down the wing before playing a ball back to the incoming Katie Hardaker whose shot went just wide of the target.

Both teams continued to battle for the first goal and it looked like it was going to fall to the Gills when a lovely through ball by Danielle Carlton found Lauren Phillips with space and time to work a shot  but again she could only watch as the effort went agonisingly wide of the target.

Just a minute later and Emma Tune forced the keeper into a good save with her feet to keep Plymouth in the game.

Plymouth netted the first goal of the game in the 57th minute when they broke down field on a counter attack, the ball finally found its wall to Rebekah Rose who struck a shot from distance, and the diving Sarah Quantrill couldn’t do anything as the ball flew into the top corner to make it 0-1.

The Gills almost got back into the game straight away when Vicky Ashton-Jones again found herself with space to run into down the wing, again she pulled the ball back this time to the incoming Danni Farmer who fired her shot high and wide.

On 67 minutes Plymouth were again awarded a free kick within shooting distance and Laura Perrett again stepped up and fired the free-kick at the Gills goal, this time it flew into the back of the net to make it 0-2 to the visitors.

With just four minutes left Plymouth were awarded a penalty after Sarah Quantrill was adjudged to have fouled the Plymouth striker in the area. The Keeper then redeemed herself by superbly saving the penalty.

The Gills battled to the whistle to try and get something out of the game but it wasn’t to be as the referee blow the whistle to bring the game to a close which saw Gillingham drop their first three points at home since September.

Full Time 0-2

Gills: Quantrill, Williams (Blackie, 75), Cooper, East, Tune, Hardaker (Massey, 84), Smith, Phillips, Farmer, Ashton-Jones, Carlton

Subs not used: Crinean

Plymouth: Stanley, Jackson, Aherne, Rose, Brooks, Perrett, Rourke, Mousley, Javan, Kampman, Coles

Subs: Volpini, Liggett