Gillingham slipped to their first away League Two defeat of the season as two Grimsby Town goals in the opening half hour saw the Gills unbeaten away record sunk in truth without too much trace. 

If last weekend’s capitulation to Colchester United had left the manager scratching his head, this defeat left him scathing as he was quoted on the club’s social media pages, “a lot of people travelled from Gillingham to support us, and our performance did not merit that.

It did not merit their support. We did not do the basics of League Two football, that performance is not acceptable for me!” 

The home side went in front after only twelve minutes, a corner was flighted into the Gills’ box by Arthur Gnahoua and Niall Maher buried his header in the corner of Jake Turners net. 

After Harry Clifton had gone close again for the Mariners, Ashley Nadesan was unable to get on the end of Scott Malone’s ball and the chance had gone.

Tom Nichols was then denied by a good challenge from a defender as he looked to get on the end of a good ball from Connor Mahoney, sadly, that was to be one of Nichols last involvement as he was replaced through injury just before the break. 

But that was after the home side doubled their lead. Good play from Danny Rose and Abobaker Eisa saw the ball laid back to Gavan Holohan who slipped the ball under the advancing Turner. 

Not happy with what he had seen, manager Harris made two changes at the break with Conor Masterson and Cheye Alexander being introduced, but the Gills just could not get going!  

Turner was the saviour to first deny Clifton and then later from Eisa as the home side moved comfortably towards the three points. But it could have been different if Malone’s late header, Jonny Williams brilliantly finding Macauley Bonne, and his pinpoint cross was magnificently kept out by home keeper Jake Eastwood as Malone was denied. 

Its back to Priestfield now for Gillingham for three of their next four League games (four of the next five if you include Tuesday’s visit of Leyton Orient in the Papa John’s Trophy) with manager Harris wanting and demanding improvement.

GRIMSBY TOWN – Eastwood, Mullarkey, Rodgers, Maher, Amos, Holohan (Andrews), Conteh, Gnahoua (Pyke), Clifton, Eisa, Rose 

Subs – Cartwright, Efete, Waterfall, Hunt, Khouri 

GILLINGHAM – Morris, McKenzie, Ehmer, Ogie (Masterson), Malone, Shaun Williams (Alexander), Dieng, Mahoney, Clarke (Jonny Williams), Nichols (Bonne), Nadesan 

Subs – Morris, Clark, Sithole 

REFEREE – Mr Herczeg 

Image courtesy of Gillingham FC