Gillingham fell to a 4-1 defeat against Grimsby Town at the MEMS Priestfield Stadium following a clinical second-half display from the visitors.
Gareth Ainsworth made four changes to the team that lost to a stoppage time goal at Cheltenham Town in midweek, as Nelson Khumbeni, Garath McCleary, Seb Palmer-Houlden and Lenni Cirino came into the starting XI.
Andy Smith missed out following the head injury he suffered in the game, while Bradley Dack and Sam Vokes dropped to the bench. Robbie McKenzie also missed out due to an impact knock.
Conor Masterson did fantastically to deny Jaze Kabia. Andy Cook did well to turn in the midfield before playing a defence-splitting pass that allowed Kabia to make his way into the penalty area before getting a shot away. Masterson came sliding in to make the crucial block before recovering in time to clear the loose ball before the visitors could capitalise.
Soon after, Glenn Morris did well to gather a dangerous low cross. Reece Staunton made an overlapping run down the left before centring the ball into the six-yard box in the direction of Kieran Green. However, Morris read it well, getting down to get a touch on the ball to take it away from Green’s path before gathering.
In the 13th minute, Ronan Hale tried his luck. Armani Little went on a bursting midfield run before offloading it to the forward, who had pushed out to the left. Hale then cut inside before shooting from distance, but his low-driven attempt went well wide of the target.
Cook got a shot away in the 36th minute. He did well to turn his marker and made his way towards the Gillingham penalty area, using close control to take it beyond more players. He was eventually upended, but an attempted clearance ricocheted back into the forward’s path, who eventually struck goalward. Fortunately, it was straight at Morris, who saved.
In the 42nd minute, Cook made no mistake. Cameron McJannet hooked a long ball forward that was flicked on by Green into Cook’s path, putting him through on goal. He had just Morris to beat and remained composed, sending a low drive into the bottom left corner of the net.
HALF-TIME: Gillingham 0-1 Grimsby Town
There were penalty appeals from the Rainham End in the 53rd minute. Cirino did well to get on the end of Max Clark’s ball in behind the Grimsby defence before sending a low cross towards the six-yard box. It was blocked and sent behind for a corner by an opposing defender, with the home support appealing for a handball, but the referee ignored the calls, awarding the corner.
McCleary equalised moments later. Little had the ball on halfway before playing an excellent cross-field pass to find the former Jamaica international on the right-hand side. McCleary’s first touch was a smart one, taking it inside and taking his marker out of the game. As he ran onto it, Jackson Smith in ‘The Mariners’ goal had come off his line to close the angle, but the Gills wide man remained composed, lofting it past the goalkeeper at his near post.
In the 67th minute, Masterson was on hand again to make an excellent goal-saving block. Cook did well to pick up the ball inside the penalty area before taking it past one player and getting a shot away. His attempt was blocked, but the loose ball fell perfectly for Kabia, who looked destined to score, but Masterson came sliding across to block the goal-bound shot.
Kabia took advantage of a defensive mix-up to restore the Grimsby advantage in the 74th minute. A long ball forward caused the Gills defence a problem, with the loose ball eventually dropping to the Grimsby forward, who had an open goal to slot the ball into.
Gillingham made a double substitution when Vokes made his 750th professional appearance when he replaced Masterson, while Dack replaced Cirino.
Green headed in a third for the visitors on 80 minutes. Charles Vernam curled a corner towards the near post, which the Grimsby captain met, heading the ball across the goal and into the far corner of the net.
The same two players combined five minutes later to add a fourth for the visitors, as Vernam slammed home from close range. Green got down the right before sending a low cross that flashed across the six-yard box before being met by Vernam, who struck the ball into the empty net.
Gills made two more changes in the 88th minute, as Travis Akomeah and Harry Waldock entered the game, replacing McCleary and Khumbeni respectively.
Clark nearly caught Smith off his line in stoppage time. The Grimsby goalkeeper came towards the edge of his box to punch the ball clear before it landed to Clark from distance. He lofted it goalward, but the visiting keeper tracked back to push the ball over the bar.
FULL-TIME: Gillingham 1-4 Grimsby Town
Gillingham: Morris, Hutton, Masterson (Vokes 78’), Gale, Clark, Little, Khumbeni (Waldock 88’), McCleary (Akomeah 87’), Palmer-Houlden, Cirino (Dack 79’), Hale
Unused Substitutes: Turner, J. Williams, Andrews
Grimsby Town: Smith, Staunton (Sweeney 76’), McJannet, Kacurri, Rodgers, Walker (Turi 66’), Oduor (Warren 88’), Green, Kabia (Vernam 76’), Amaluzor (Burns 76’), Cook
Unused Substitutes: Pym, Booth
Referee: Oliver Mackey
Attendance: 5863 (646)
