After five games without a goal or a point, John Akinde’s second half header against Crewe Alexandra on Tuesday night saw Gillingham back to winning ways.
It ended the second worst scoring drought in club history (528 minutes) whilst also breaking boss Steve Evans’ longest ever run of consecutive losses!
November began with a change of fortune for Gillingham as once again Gresty Road proved a happy hunting ground for Rhe Gills as Akinde’s second half header sealed a fourth win in the last five visits over a fourteen year period – the other being a 1-1 draw in 2011 – just a second win in the last nine outings.
With Alex MacDonald ruled out by his sending off at the weekend, a fit again Tom O’Connor was recalled along with Trae Coyle who took the place of Dominic Samuel who dropped to the bench in the two changes from the side that came so close to getting a result against Sunderland at the weekend.
And for periods on Tuesday, it looked as though the misery would continue as the home side had the best of the first half – Charlie Kirk shot wide from a good position; Daniel Powell had a shot come back of the inside of a post after being put through by former Gill Mikael Mandron, before Gills keeper Joe Lumley came into his own with stunning saves to deny Kirk and then Callum Ainsley.
The Gills did have chances of their own – Vadaine Oliver’s header was straight at the keeper before Jordan Graham’s corner rattled the bar – but overall it was down to the Gills loanee keeper that the score-line was blank at the break.
Mandron was agonisingly close to putting his old side behind as a 53rd minute header cannoned off the inside of a post with Lumley stationary.
Akinde was then introduced into the game and the Gills suddenly found their feet – skipper Kyle Dempsey shot straight at the keeper after good work from Ryan Jackson, before within two minutes of his introduction, Akinde broke the deadlock – Jack Tucker found Graham brilliantly, before the cross was headed home by the substitute for his first goal of the season.
Just like a bus, after waiting nearly nine hours for a goal, the Gills so very nearly made it two soon after when O’Connor was inches away with a header following another great ball in from Graham.
Gills were then indebted to keeper Lumley for another incredible save in the closing minutes – this time the QPR loanee somehow managed to deny Oli Finney from point blank range as the Crewe man found too much room in the box.
At the final whistle, the relief of the first win in six games was just as immense back in Kent as it was in the visitors dressing room at Gresty Road as for the first time in over a month, a Gills performance got the just rewards and finally three SKYBet League One points before they start on the Road to Wembley at the weekend…
CREWE ALEXANDRA – Jaaskelainen, Ng, Beckles, Offord, Pickering, Ainley (Finney 75), Wintle, Lowery (Zanzala 88), Powell (Dale 69), Mandron, Kirk.
Subs not used – Richards, Sass-Davies, Porter, Murphy.
Booked: Offord (12), Ng (76), Mandron (83).
GILLINGHAM – Lumley, Jackson, Tucker, Ogilvie, Medley. McKenzie, Dempsey, O’Connor (Willock 90), Graham, Coyle (Akinde 55), Oliver (Samuel 71).
Subs not used – Walsh, Maghoma, Drysdale, Woods.
Goal: Akinde (58).
REFEREE – Mr Johnson