Garath McCleary came off the bench to make it three successive home games with a goal, as his stunning stoppage time strike was the difference in Gillingham’s 1-0 win on the final day of the 2025/26 season against Shrewsbury Town at the MEMS Priestfield Stadium.
He picked up on a loose ball with the Shrewsbury defence stretched and was able to carry towards the box before curling goalward from 25 yards out. His attempt floated into the top right corner, with a full-stretched Will Brook unable to keep it out.
Gareth Ainsworth made three changes to the team that lost at Barnet, as Remeao Hutton and Sam Gale returned to the starting XI following injury. Sam Vokes started his final professional game before retirement. Seb Palmer-Houlden was fit enough to be named among the substitutes.
Sullivan Booth and Garath McCleary were on the bench, as was Nelson Khumbeni. Harry Waldock missed out.
Robbie McKenzie had the first opportunity after ten minutes. He did well to skip beyond a couple of challenges, staying on his feet before offloading to Vokes. He did well to hold the ball off a defender before laying it back to McKenzie, who sent a low drive goalward. However, it was straight at Will Brook.
Josh Ruffels had a good opportunity when Tom Sang curled a cross into the box from the right. Ruffels rose highest to head goalward, but could not keep it down, and it went over the crossbar.
In the 25th minute, John Marquis had a great chance. Iwan Morgan got in behind on the left side of the box and cut a bouncing ball back in the direction of the oncoming Marquis. However, the former Gills loanee could only send his effort straight at Morris, who caught the attempt.
Morgan soon hit the woodwork. He went driving forward through the middle before thumping goalward from 20 yards out. His low drive was directed towards the bottom left corner, beating Morris, but it smacked the face of the post before going out for a goal-kick.
In the 36th minute, Gillingham were forced into a first change when Gale went down with an apparent injury and was unable to continue. He was replaced by Jonny Williams who made his 400th club appearance in the process.
It took an important block to deny Ruffels shortly before half-time. Sang sent a low corner towards the front of the six-yard box, which was flicked goalward by Ruffels. It looked as if it was going to cause the hosts trouble until Armani Little made an important block to send it away from the goal.
HALF-TIME: Gillingham 0-0 Shrewsbury Town
Hale had a half-chance after 53 minutes. Jonny Williams did well to keep possession, taking it around a Shrewsbury player before finding Hale, who shifted the ball onto his left foot and thumped goalward. His attempt was rising and had plenty of power, but was headed behind by a visiting defender for a corner, which came to nothing.
Marquis soon missed a gilt-edged opportunity. The visitors picked up on a loose ball, capitalising on some indecisiveness to break forward. The ball was played in for Sang inside the box, who got the initial shot away, which was blocked by Little. Sang then picked up on the loose ball, squaring it for Marquis, who looked destined to score. Fortunately for the hosts, he completely mis-hit the ball, scuffing it wide of the near post.
In the 65th minute, Gills made their second change, as McCleary replaced Bradley Dack.
Hale saw a strike from distance flash wide of the post after some nice build-up by the hosts. McCleary was immediately involved, playing the ball into the feet of Vokes, who laid it off for Hale to run onto. He tried his luck, directing his effort towards the top right corner, but it swerved wide of the target.
In the 74th minute, Vokes left the field for the final time in his career, being replaced by Palmer-Houlden. The Welsh international received a guard of honour as he walked to the dugout.
Tommy McDermott nearly opened the scoring for the visitors. He used his pace to get beyond the Gillingham defence to get on the end of a long ball in behind. Morris had come off his line to close the angle, as McDermott prodded it goalward towards the far top corner. Fortunately, it went just wide of the goal.
Bradley Ihionvien did well to get a shot away with seven minutes remaining. He received the ball on the left side of the box, with Conor Masterson applying pressure. The Shrewsbury forward carried it towards the byline before thumping a left-footed attempt towards the near post. Morris blocked it behind for a corner, which was swiftly dealt with.
Morris was called into action soon after when Morgan had a free-kick 25 yards from the goal to the left of the centre. He curled it over the wall, but it was too central, allowing Morris to push it over the bar.
In the second minute of additional time McCleary gave Gillingham the lead. The forward had the ball from distance and carried it towards the penalty area. He opted to curl a shot goalward from 25 yards out and it lofted into the top right corner beyond Brook, who was at full stretch in his attempts to keep it out.
Morris had to be alert in the closing moments, as a free-kick from the visitors was curled across goal towards the bottom right corner, with the goalkeeper doing well to get down and push behind for a corner, which came to nothing.
FULL-TIME: Gillingham 1-0 Shrewsbury Town
Gillingham: Morris, Hutton, Masterson, A. Smith, Gale (J. Williams 36’), Clark, Little, McKenzie, Dack (McCleary 65’), Hale, Vokes (Palmer-Houlden 74’)
Unused Substitutes: Turner, Akomeah, Khumbeni, Booth
Shrewsbury Town: Brook, Boyle, Lloyd (Ihionvien 71’), Sang, Perry, Morgan (Aiston 87’), Lee (Hoole 71’), Ruffels, Marquis (McDermott 72’), Berkoe, Gray (England 71’)
Unused Substitutes: Cox, Stubbs
Referee: David Rock
Attendance: 6415 (541)
