Gillingham came from behind to gain their first home league win since September as the MEMS Priestfield stadium was treated to a five-goal thriller against Newport County.
After going behind in the opening minutes, Gillingham fought back to equalise twice before Garath McCleary headed them to victory in the 110th minute.
Both sides had enjoyed a 16-day rest from the last round of fixtures on New Year’s Day and were desperate for a win. Gillingham needed to break their nine-match winless run to climb back towards the playoff places, while Newport needed to break out of the relegation places.
The overall Gillingham squad was almost at full strength, with only Nelson Khumbeni and Marcus Wyllie ruled out through injury. Manager Gareth Ainsworth made several changes from the side that lost 2-0 to Swindon: veteran keeper Glenn Morris returned for his first start since his injury in November, while Conor Masterson, Robbie McKenzie, Jonny Smith and Bradley Dack replaced Remeao Hutton, Ethan Coleman, Jonny Williams and Elliott Nevitt. Garath McCleary also returned to the bench.
Newport also made several changes following their 2-1 loss away at league leaders Bromley. Matt Smith, Harrison Biggins, Liam Shepherd, Ryan Delaney and Nathaniel Opoku replaced James Clarke, Will Evans, Ciaran Brennan, Cameron Antwi and Courtney Baker-Richardson
The first goal of the game came before many of the fans had even taken their seats. Newport won a corner in the 3rd minute after Morris tipped a short round the post. From the corner there was a flurry of shots as Morris was again required to make two saves before Michael Spellman headed into the right of the net.
Newport continued to be the aggressors with a cross from the left in the very next minute that was begging to be turned in but somehow didn’t quite reach any of the targets.
Newport had another excellent chance from a long free kick that led to another free header but was directed straight at Morris.
Gillingham managed to create a couple of half-chances but Newport continued to dominate over the opening 20 minutes.
The first clear chance for the Gills fell to Jonny Smith, who pounced on a misplaced defensive pass and fired a shot towards the lop left corner, which was well-blocked and headed behind.
From this point, Gillingham grew into the game. They dominated possession and created opportunities, while Newport sat back and threatened to hit them on the counter.
Eventually, Gillingham’s persistence paid off as Max Clark hooked in a cross from the left wing which found Conor Masterson at the back post, who headed in emphatically. There was a great response from the crowd for a fan favourite who has missed a lot of football this season through injury.
This equaliser brought out the best football of the half from the home side. Armani Little was industrious and recycled the ball well, Dack dictated play and found incisive passes to get the team forward, and Jonny Smith was a pest on the right wing.
The first half ended with a fizzing corner from Dack that Newport kept out and a promising cross from Jonny Smith that Aaron Rowe couldn’t get hold of at the back post.
The second half began with Newport dominating possession, but unable to create any opportunities to score.
Gillingham had a great chance to make it 2-1 as Jonny Smith whipped in a cross from the right, which Andrews headed just wide.
Newport’s goalscorer Michael Spellman came off injured in the 54th minute and was replaced by Tanatswa Nyakuhwa.
Gillingham then had two more great chances to take the lead. Dack couldn’t get hold of a cross from Andrews right in front of goal, and Rowe had a shot saved from just outside the area.
This was followed by the best chance of the game for the home side. Dack threaded the ball through to Rowe from deep in his own half, Rowe then picked out Andrews unmarked with only the keeper to beat, but the shot was tame and straight at Jordan Wright.
This was repeated a minute later as again Andrews was found inside the box unmarked by Sam Gale before somehow putting the ball over the bar from a few yards out.
There was a lengthy delay in the match after the fourth official was announced as ‘indisposed’ and a replacement had to be found. This gave both sides a chance to recalibrate. Gillingham took the opportunity to bring on Garath McCleary for Jonny Smith.
McCleary made an instant impact, forcing a corner on the right wing and whipping in a cross that could easily have been turned in for Gillingham’s second goal.
There was another great chance for Gillingham from a well-worked free kick move that ended with Wright’s fingertips just blocking a Sam Gale header.
Newport then had their most attacking period of the half as they pinned Gillingham deep in their half, forcing three corners in quick succession and bringing out some solid defensive work from the home side.
Sadly, for Gillingham, Newport managed to break through. Some incisive passes and good movement on the left brought a probing cross from substitute Nyakuhwa, who found another substitute Cameron Antwi unmarked in the box. He slotted home low to Morris’ right.
After more substitutions from both sides, Gillingham substitute Sam Vokes hooked a ball forward for Garath McCleary. McCleary looked to cross, then wove his way into the box, drew a foul and was awarded a penalty.
Captain Armani Little hammered the penalty into the right of the net, and the scores were again level.
With 15 minutes of injury time to play, following the fourth official debacle, Gillingham continued to pile on the pressure. McCleary found Vokes in the box, but his shot was blocked by a defender at full stretch.
With the Gills searching for a winner, Newport found plenty of space in midfield to surge forward. Nyakuhwa’s fizzing shot brought a good save from Morris as he tipped it over the bar.
It had been evident since before Newport took the lead that the Welsh side were keen to run down the clock as much as possible in an effort to salvage a precious point that could keep them in the football league for another season. But despite this, they still seemed keen to attack, which made for an excellent spectacle as the Medway skies grew darker.
In the 99th minute, Gillingham finally went ahead for the first time in the match. Little put a very high, looping cross into the Newport box and McCleary somehow managed to get enough momentum on his header to put it just under the bar and make it 3-2 to the Gills.
Suddenly Newport were in a hurry. The game became feistier as both sides searched for the winner, with Newport going desperately close in the dying minutes. Balls were sent into the box, shots were fired in, Morris made a couple of desperate saves and plenty of Gillingham players put their bodies on the line to block any attempts.
After a couple of yellow cards were shown for a fracas by the Gillingham goal, the referee blew the final whistle.
The game should have been far easier fort Gillingham; they had plenty of chances to put the game to bed and squandered them. However, Newport played far better than their league position suggests and in grinding out this win, the Gills have finally given the fans something to cheer about for their first win at Priestfield in a long time.
Gillingham: Morris, Clark, Masterson, A Smith, Little, Andrews (Vokes 87), Rowe (Hutton 87), McKenzie, J Smith (McCleary 70), Dack (Coleman), Gale.
Subs Not Used: Turner, Palmer-Houlden, Nevitt.
Goals: Masterson ’31, Little ‘90+1 (pen), McCLeary ‘110
Booked: Clark ’62, Dack 90+1, Smith 90+11
Newport County: Wright, Glennon, Baker, Kamwa, Smith (Brennan 76), Biggins, Jenkins (Antwi 76), Shephard (Thomas 88), Spellman (Nyakuhwa 54), Delaney, Opoku (Crole 88).
Subs Not Used: Tzanev, Davies.
Goals: Spellman ‘4, Antwi ‘84
Booked: Glennon, Baker, Brennan
HT 1–1 FT 3 – 2
Att: 5548 (166)
Referee: Mr Carl Brook.
Image courtesy of Gillingham FC