A Connor Mahoney strike just four minutes from time capped a great fightback by Gillingham at Morecambe and lifted Stephen Clemence’s side right back into the heart of the play-off battle. 

Mahoney’s goal as the home side committed defensive suicide late on in a game that they had led twice, Oli Hawkins first half leveller before Tim Dieng’s thunderbolt drew the visitors level for a second time in a game that both sides really needed the points from as the race for the post season reaches the final weeks of the season. 

The big news before the game was the name of Josh Andrews on the team-sheet albeit as a sub for the first time since his January move to Priestfield as the Gills named an unchanged side from the one that drew with Grimsby last weekend. 

Hawkins had the ball in the net early on only to be denied by an assistant’s flag before the home side took the lead on ten minutes as Jordan Slew found himself through against Glenn Morris and he coolly slotted the ball into the bottom corner. 

The Gills reply was swift, and this time Hawkins was not to be denied as Mahoney and Romeao combined down the right and the Morecambe defence could not deal with the cross and Hawkins hammered the ball home. 

Mahoney had a free kick punched over by keeper Archie Muir after the winger had been flattened by former Gill David Tutonda whilst Morris was relieved to see a cross from Slew ripple the top of the Gills net with the keeper furiously backpedalling. 

The home side started the second half brightly and Morris was called to make excellent stops to keep out firstly Slew’s header and then Charlie Brown near post shot. 

Brown was not to be denied though and on 68 minutes, he was in the right place to turn home Garners mis hit shot to give the home side the lead again. 

Just as in the first half, the Gills responded and were behind for just seven minutes. The ball fell to Dieng 35 yards out and after taking a touch, the Frenchman let fly with a vicious strike that totally deceived Muir and flew into the net. 

The visitors were now on the front foot and grabbed the winner with just four minutes left. There appeared to be no danger for the home side as the ball was played back to Muir, but the keeper made a real hash of his clearance and Mahoney, now operating down the left, advanced to the edge of the box before gleefully hammering home the winner the spark wild scenes of celebration both on the pitch and the stands from the delight of the travelling fans. 

It could have been even better for the Gills as skipper Max Ehmer clipped a post with a header in stoppage time, but the final whistle blew shortly after sending the three points deservedly back down the M6 to Kent. 

The Head Coach had told KSN that you “have to be in it at Easter” for a chance of the play-offs, well after Mahoney’s strike with the holiday games against fifth placed Crewe at Priestfield before travelling to Yorkshire to face a Harrogate side who have lost more home games than twenty-two other sides in the division, Clemence knows, as do the faithful, that the Gills are definitely very much still in it.

Morecambe – Mair, Senior, Bedeau, Stokes, Tutonda, Khumbeni, Adams (Edwards), Taylor, Brown (Hiwula), Garner, Slew 

Subs – A. Smith, Songo’o, Larsson, C. Smith, Harrack 

Gillingham: Morris, Hutton, Ehmer, Ogie, Max Clark (Malone), McKenzie (Coleman), Dieng, Jonny Williams (Walker), Lapslie (Jaden Clarke), Mahoney, Hawkins (Andrews) 

Subs – Turner, Masterson  

Referee – Mr Howard