Gillingham were undone by a substitute set piece goal as they slipped to defeat against Crewe Alexandra.

Adrien Thibaut netted the game’s only goal twenty minutes into the second period as he reacted quickest to a knock down as the Gills once again conceded from a corner leaving Gareth Ainsworth shaking his head after the game “I can’t keep going on about conceding from set-pieces; it’s not good enough” he said, “If we don’t get anything from our chances, go home with a 0-0 as I can only remember them having one chance second half!” the Gills boss said afterwards!

It was another frustrating afternoon for the Priestfield faithful who made the long trip to Cheshire – almost 400 making the trip in a crowd of just under five thousand.

The game had a slow start, and the first real chance didn’t come for the home side until twenty-one minutes in, but Tommi O’Reilly couldn’t get his shot away.

Robbie McKenzie had the Gills first opportunity as he raced onto Ronan Hale’s through ball before shooting wide before the midfielder produced a stunning block to deny Callum Agius as the Crewe man was about to shoot at the other end.

Hale was denied by the feet of keeper Ian Lawlor after getting on the end of Garath McCleary’s pull back and on the stroke of half time, the home keeper made a terrific save to keep out Sam Vokes’ header from a corner – one of eight that the Gills forced to the home sides two!

The Gills started on the front foot after the break and the home sides defence just about dealt with Max Clark’s super low centre. The visitors indeed were inches away from the lead on the hour when McCleary’s touch (from Vokes’ towering knock-down) beat Lawlor but the home side were able to scramble clear – just! The keeper then denied Vokes directly as the Welshman got on the end of good play between Amani Little and Clark to save with his feet.

Crewe then took the lead when Thibaut touched home Micky Demetriou’s header from a corner which seemed to knock the Gills out of their purposeful stride. O’Reilly should have perhaps doubled the lead on a break as the Gille pushed forward for an equaliser, but Glenn Morris made a really good save to keep the scoreline at one. And despite probing and probing that was how the game was to finish as the Gills lost ground on the sides above them.

The win lifts the home side into the play-off places whilst Ainsworth and his side look ahead to another road trip in midweek to Chesterfield.

CREWE ALEXANDRA – Lawlor, Billington, Hutchinson, Demetriou, Thomas (Lunt), Holicek (Bogle), Agius, Powell (Connolly), March (Thibaut), Pond, O’Reilly (Moore)

Subs – Booth, Finney

GILLINGHAM – Morris, Hutton, Beckles, Akomeah, Clark, Coleman (Dack), McKenzie, Little (Antwi), McCleary (Palmer-Houlden), Hale, Vokes (Andrews)

Subs – Turner, Andy Smith, Gale

REFEREE – Mr. Coy

Image courtesy of Gillingham FC