Robbie McKenzie scored the winning goal in the 13th minute of added time as Gillingham beat Barrow at Holker Street for the first time since 1967 on Saturday afternoon.
Lenni Cirino’s corner was headed as far as Euan Williams, who put the ball back into the penalty area. It found McKenzie, who did well to bring it under his control before turning and prodding the ball into the bottom left corner of the goal.
Gareth Ainsworth made six changes for the trip to Barrow, as Jake Turner, Andy Smith, Sam Gale, Robbie McKenzie, Cameron Antwi and Seb Palmer-Houlden came into the starting XI.
Glenn Morris, Ethan Coleman, Bradley Dack and Sam Vokes were named among the substitutes, while Lenni Cirino, Euan Williams and Aaron Rowe came into the matchday squad.
Max Clark had the first chance of the game after three minutes. Armani Little’s corner from the right eventually went towards the left side of the box, where Clark went to meet the bouncing loose ball at a tight angle. He brought it under control before sending a half-volley towards the far top corner, which flew over the crossbar.
Following the Clark opportunity, neither side created a chance of note, as both goalkeepers were left untested. Both teams had set pieces around the opposing penalty areas, but could not capitalise.
In the 33rd minute, Gillingham were forced into a first change, as Antwi was unable to continue after picking up a knock in an earlier challenge. He was replaced by Williams.
Moments later, McKenzie came close. Hale did well to flick the ball into the midfielder’s path, as he drove from just inside the Gillingham half up to the edge of the Barrow penalty area. McKenzie got a shot away, sending a low drive towards the bottom left corner, but it went just wide of the target.
Barrow were denied by a crucial block at the end of the first-half. Tom Barkhuizen’s cross from the right found Jovan Malcolm, who headed it into a crowd of bodies. It eventually dropped to Josh Gordon, who fired it goalward. Fortunately, there was a Gillingham defender on hand to block the attempt from point-blank range before the hosts' attack petered out.
HALF-TIME: Barrow 0-0 Gillingham
Hale hit the woodwork in the opening moments of the second period. McKenzie did well to progress the ball down the right-hand side before sending a cross into the box. It was slightly overhit, as it went high and deep into the penalty area, but Hale kept it alive. The Northern Ireland international did brilliantly to turn a defender before sending a low drive towards the near post, which smacked the outside of the frame of the goal before going out for a goal-kick.
In the 56th minute, Gillingham were forced into a second change, as Little went down and could not continue, and he was replaced by Coleman.
Turner did well to command his six-yard box as the hosts threatened. A low curling cross from the left was flicked goalward by Barkhuizen, which another Barrow player followed in. However, Turner did well to quickly react and punch the ball clear from the immediate danger before Gills cleared their lines.
Gordon tried his luck with a snapshot from distance soon after, which he sent flashing wide of the right post.
Just after the hour, there was a lengthy stoppage in play as Malcolm went down on halfway with what appeared to be a serious leg injury. He was eventually stretchered off and replaced by former Gill, Connor Mahoney.
Andy Smith provided a massive last-ditch touch to deny Niall Canavan from opening the scoring from close range. Ben Jackson curled a cross from the left towards the back post, with Canavan closing in. It seemed the Barrow captain was going to open the scoring, but Smith was on hand to lunge in and get ahead of him to put it behind for a corner.
In the 90th minute, Gillingham made a triple substitution with Vokes, Cirino and Rowe replacing Palmer-Houlden, Clark and Hutton.
Vokes forced Wyll Stanway into action deep into stoppage time. Rowe's low ball from the right was flicked goalward by the former Wales international, and Stanway got across to push it behind for a corner.
From the resulting corner, McKenzie scored the Gillingham winner in the 13th minute of added time. Cirino's delivery from the right was headed out as far as Williams, who sent the ball back into the penalty area. It found McKenzie, who did well to bring it under his control before turning and prodding it goalward. It was just out of Stanway's reach as it rolled into the bottom left corner.
FULL-TIME: Barrow 0-1 Gillingham
Barrow: Stanway, Canavan, Jackson, McCann, Malcolm (Mahoney 71’), J. Anderson, Gordon (Fletcher 90+3’), Thompson, Barkhuizen, Rose (Walker 85’), Harper
Unused Substitutes: Winterbottom, Newby, F. Anderson
Gillingham: Turner, Hutton (Rowe 90+1’), A. Smith, Beckles, Gale, Clark (Cirino 90’), Little (Coleman 56’), McKenzie, Antwi (E. Williams 33’), Palmer-Houlden (Vokes 90’), Hale
Unused Substitutes: Morris, Dack
Referee: Ross Joyce
Attendance: 2331 (237 Gillingham supporters)
