Oxford United edged out a luckless Gillingham at a fog-bound Kassam Stadium on Tuesday night.

Marvin Johnson, who missed Saturday’s 4-1 win over Coventry City to attend the birth of daughter Ava, finished superbly on 32 minutes to complete a memorable few days.

It provided the breakthrough, but the points were only secured thanks to a feverish work ethic from the home side.

They grafted tirelessly out of possession and when Gillingham did create chances there was always a body on the line to preserve the hardest-earned of clean sheets.

Aside from Gillingham, United’s biggest threat to their win came from the weather.

Fog descended during the second half and must have come close to forcing referee Andrew Madley into an unpopular decision, but thankfully the game was completed.

 

Oxford’s best early sights of goal both fell to Rob Hall, who dragged one shot wide and had another blocked after two neat moves.

Gillingham were harassed in possession all over the pitch and it took them half an hour to threaten, when Cody McDonald twisted away from Curtis Nelson and Chey Dunkley before seeing his 15-yard shot saved by Simon Eastwood’s legs.

Two minutes later, United were in front with a terrific move.

A raking pass from John Lundstram picked out Johnson. The makeshift left back cut in off the flank and exchanged passes with Kane Hemmings, before bursting into the box and beating Stuart Nelson with a low finish.

It took some last-ditch defending to prevent Gillingham from wiping out the lead almost immediately.

Eastwood denied McDonald’s header at a corner and when the ball fell loose in the six-yard box Phil Edwards came up with a goal-saving block.

The tempo remained high and when Josh Wright then had a penalty shout waved away, United broke at speed.

Chris Maguire rode one challenge before threading a pass which picked out Hall, who blasted a shot off target.

United needed more defensive inspiration to stay in front seconds before the half-time whistle.

Jay Emmanuel-Thomas headed a free-kick on to the crossbar and when the rebound fell to McDonald, his close-range effort was cleared off the line by Nelson.

During the interval fog slowly began to drift in from the open end and within a few minutes of the restart seeing the far side became a challenge.

United looked to carry on regardless and Maguire had a free-kick saved before blazing wildly off target with the next chance.

Gillingham though looked just as likely to get the next goal.

They had a good spell around the hour mark, where Nelson came up with a vital challenge to prevent Emmanuel-Thomas from waltzing through.

United’s best hope of a second goal to kill the game was in the front two of Maguire and Hemmings creating something.

As on Saturday they were on the same wavelength most of the time, with Maguire volleying on to the roof of the net from his strike partner’s flick-on.

The home side were inching towards victory, but were hit by another injury 15 minutes from time.

After losing three players in the last two games, Dunkley became the latest player to hobble off.

It was the last thing United needed as Gillingham committed increasingly more players forward as time ran out.

With five minutes left Emmanuel-Thomas unleashed a powerful 20-yard effort, but Eastwood made an excellent one-handed stop and was quickly on his feet to gather the loose ball.

There were still a few nervy moments to negotiate, but United held firm to claim the points and continue climbing the table, whilst another defeat piles more pressure on under fire boss Justin Edinburgh.

The defeat sees The Gills drop to 16th place in League One with Rochdale set to come to Priestfield on Saturday.
Oxford United line up: Eastwood, Edwards, Nelson, Dunkley (Martin 75), Johnson, MacDonald, Lundstram, Ledson, Hall (Ruffels 65), Maguire, Hemmings (Taylor 86).

Subs not used: Buchel, Raglan, Rothwell, T Roberts.

Goal: Johnson (32).

Booked: Hemmings (45+2).

Gillingham line up: Nelson, Wagstaff, Ehmer, Cargill, Konchesky, Hessenthaler, Wright, Knott (Nouble 63), Emmanuel-Thomas, McDonald, Dack.

Subs not used: Hadler, Oshilaja, Herd, Cundle, Byrne, Osadebe.

Booked: Dack (91).

Referee: Andrew Madley.

Attendance: 6,848 (301 Gills).