Logan Dobbs scored his first EFL league goal while Ronan Hale scored his second of the campaign as Gillingham secured a first home win of the season, beating Tranmere Rovers 2-0 at the MEMS Priestfield Stadium on Saturday.
Both goals came in the second-half, with Dobbs opening the scoring after 68 minutes. Hale, who was heavily involved in both goals, did well to deliver a dangerous left-footed cross into the six-yard box, finding Dobbs, who had peeled away from his marker. The young defender met the cross, heading it into the right side of the net, leaving a scrambling Luke McGee with no chance.
Hale doubled the score with ten minutes remaining. He did brilliantly to win possession halfway inside the Gillingham half before offloading it to Garath McCleary on the right. The forward waited for Hale to get further forward before curling a perfectly weighted pass in behind the Tranmere defence. Hale latched onto it before prodding past McGee.
Gareth Ainsworth made two changes to the starting XI that beat Rochdale 4-1, as Robbie McKenzie returned to the team. Eli King made his first start after impressing on his debut last Saturday.
Zech Obiero and Will Goodwin missed out after going off in the first half at Rochdale. Michael Luxton and Sully Booth were named among the substitutes.
Nick Freeman forced Luke McGee into action in the opening moments. The ball was played across the penalty area after the hosts went quick from a free-kick, and it made its way to Freeman. He did well to create some space to get a shot away, but it was too close to McGee, who held onto the attempt.
In the sixth minute, James Brophy made a vital goal line clearance to keep the game goalless. Ollie Wright got a foot onto Joel Senior’s low centre into the six-yard box, but the loose ball sat perfectly for Dylan Jones to shoot. He sent his effort towards the bottom left corner, but Brophy did excellently to recover, getting on the line to clear the danger.
A last-ditch challenge prevented Ronan Hale from latching onto a low ball as the Gills did well to break forward. Conor McManus had the ball on the edge of the box and was waiting for the overlapping run of Harry Waldock, who got onto the pass forward. The academy graduate played a left-footed ball into the six-yard box, with Hale making a run to try and meet it. However, a Tranmere defender came sliding in to take it off the foot of the Gillingham forward.
Omar Beckles nearly headed the hosts in front in the 38th minute. Brophy curled a free-kick from the right into the penalty area, and Beckles did well to get across his marker before getting on the end of the delivery with a diving header. He directed the ball towards the bottom right corner, but McGee got across to push it around the post for a corner, which came to nothing.
Jones tried his luck from a tight angle when he was played in behind the Gills defence. He had the pace to keep hold of the ball as he entered the penalty area. However, when he got his strike away he could not angle it towards the far corner, as he struck it high and wide of Wright’s near post.
Sam Finley had a good chance on the stroke of half-time. He was quickest to react to a clearance into the Gills box, capitalising on the bouncing ball. His initial touch ricocheted off a Gillingham defender before going back to Finley, who got a shot away. Fortunately, he sent it wide of the target.
The hosts nearly had a golden opportunity to break the deadlock in the closing seconds of the half. Freeman did well to get the ball on the right before making his way into the box and towards the byline. He had McKenzie entering the box unchallenged, but could not find him with his cutback, as the visitors eventually cleared their lines.
HALF-TIME: Gillingham 0-0 Tranmere Rovers
In the 51st minute, McKenzie did well to get a shot away. Waldock’s cross caused a problem for a Tranmere defender, which allowed McKenzie to steal the ball from his foot. The midfielder had his back to goal and was going to the ground as he got a shot away on the turn. Unfortunately, he could not guide it on target, and it curled wide of the right-hand post.
Gills were forced into a first change soon after when Waldock went down with an apparent knock. The young midfielder could not continue and was replaced by Garath McCleary.
McCleary did well to force a save out of McGee on the hour. He received the ball on the left corner of the box before cutting onto his right foot and bending his shot towards the goal. It had plenty of power, but was too close to McGee, who had to parry it up into the air before the danger subsided.
Hale nearly caught McGee out when he spotted the visiting goalkeeper off his line. He was positioned just inside the Gillingham half before lofting the ball towards the Tranmere goal. McGee was backpedalling as he watched the ball loop goalward, but it went just over the crossbar, landing on the roof of the net.
In the 68th minute, Dobbs scored his first league goal. The ball was played down the left for Hale, who did well to loft his left-footed cross into the six-yard box. It found an unmarked Dobbs, who angled his header into the right side of the net.
Zane Okoro nearly equalised for the visitors. He did well to get onto a long ball forward and made his way towards the edge of the box. However, Andy Smith was on hand to get across and apply pressure, rushing the Tranmere forward to get a shot away, as he sent it just wide of the post, with Wright also closing him down to close the angle.
Hale doubled the Gillingham lead on 80 minutes. The goal started with him, as he won possession midway inside the Gills half. He played it out to McCleary on the right before making a bursting run through the middle. McCleary waited for the Northern Ireland international to get further forward before curling an excellent ball in behind the Tranmere defence, which allowed him to latch onto the pass before prodding beyond McGee.
There was some concern for the hosts, as the forward went down immediately after scoring and required treatment. He was soon replaced, as the Gills made a double change. Lamin Sillah replaced Hale, while Jack Daley replaced Dobbs.
The visitors threw bodies forward as they attempted to find a way back into the game, but the Gillingham defence stood firm, as Wright was left untested.
Gills made two more changes deep into additional time, as Luxton replaced McKenzie, while Sheldon Kendall replaced McManus.
FULL-TIME: Gillingham 2-0 Tranmere Rovers
Gillingham: Wright, Smith, Beckles, Dobbs (Daley 80’), Freeman, McKenzie (Luxton 90+4’), King, McManus (Kendall 90+4’), Waldock (McCleary 55’), Brophy, Hale (Sillah 82’)
Unused Substitutes: Holtam, Booth
Tranmere Rovers: McGee, Senior, Slater (Kamara 79’), Smith (Nevett 79’), Vaulks, Whitaker (Okoro 70’), Finley (Conlon 70’), Ironside, Ince, Faulkner, Jones (Davies 58’)
Unused Substitutes: Male, O’Connor
Referee: Alan Young
Attendance: 5611 (349)
