Gillingham hit rock bottom with a heart-breaking loss in Lancashire as Wigan Athletic went top of League One by winning a thriller by the odd goal in five.

Steve Lovell’s side went two down before half time and previously this season would have capitulated to a heavy defeat. But after the Welsh dragon roared at the break, he saw his charges show fight that sadly hasn’t been seen for too long as substitute Ben Reeves and then Stuart O’Keefe netted to almost incredibly level the scores.

But – and why is there always a but – one of the biggest Gills slayer of recent years pounced again as Will Keane netted his second of the afternoon from less than six yards with ten minutes left.

Danny Lloyd and Mustapha Carayol returned to the Gills starting eleven at the expense of Reeves and Charlie Kelman but home side were in front early on as Keane headed home a Gwion Williams centre.

Tom Naylor bounced a header off the top of Pontus Dahlberg’s crossbar before Stephen Humphrys doubled Wigan’s advantage before the midway point of the half with a low drive beyond the keeper’s reach.

Gills would have been further behind at the break but for an incredible goal-line clearance from Max Ehmer when Keane had beaten Dahlberg and at the interval made a double change and reverted to the starting eleven that had done so well against Burton the week before as Reeves and Kelman replaced Lloyd and Carayol and it worked wonders as it kick started the Gills into a reply and within ten minutes of the restart, Vadaine Oliver brilliantly found Reeves with a cushioned header, and Reeves magnificently beat Wigan keeper Ben Amos into the bottom corner.

Dahlberg excelled just past the hour with two wonderful saves. Edwards shot from distance was well tipped over and from the corner the Swedish keeper did brilliantly to deny Jack Whatmough from point blank range.

The keeper’s heroics were rewarded twenty minutes from time as the Gills levelled. Ryan Jackson’s throw was played back to him and from his cross, O’Keefe let fly and buried the ball into the Wigan net – from nowhere the strugglers were level and threatening to end the home side’s sixteen match unbeaten run.

But – there’s that word again – it sadly wasn’t to be and as often happens when you’re at the bottom lady luck doesn’t smile on you and again it was the case as a from a corner, the Gills didn’t deal with a clearance and Keane hammered home the winner.

That was summed up three minutes from time when O’Keefe got on the end of John Akinde’s header but this time, he couldn’t keep the ball down and it whistled fractionally too high.

The defeat – courtesy of Doncaster’s win at MK Dons – sends Gillingham to the very foot of the table after a run of fifteen without a win in all competitions.

With three home games coming up in the next ten days, the size of the task for Lovell or a possible new manager now looks very tough, but if the players can just take the fight and spirit that the two hundred Gills fans who made the long trip saw at the DW Stadium maybe, just maybe, we might yet get a Priestfield miracle…

WIGAN ATHLETIC – Amos, Kelland Watts, Naylor, Whatmough, Edwards (Kerr 67), Power, Keane, Shinnie, McClean, Darikwa, Humphrys (Massey 86).

Subs not used – Jones, Pearce, Bayliss, Aasgaard, Sze.

Goals: Keane (8), (77), Humphrys (21).

Booked: Darikwa (90).

GILLINGHAM – Dahlberg, Jackson, Tucker, Ehmer, McKenzie, O’Keefe, Dempsey, Carayol (Kelman H/T0), Lee, Lloyd (Reeves H/T) (Akinde 78), Oliver.

Subs not used – Chapman, Tutonda, Bennett, Sithole.

Goals: Reeves (53), O’Keefe (70).

Booked: McKenzie (31).

REFEREE – Mr Carl Boyeson

Attendance: 9,359 (196 Gills).

Picture supplied by Gillingham Football Club.