Sheldon Kendall came off the bench to score his first two league goals, as Gillingham scored three second-half goals to beat Bristol Rovers 3-0 at the MEMS Priestfield Stadium.
James Brophy opened the scoring in the 55th minute. Harry Waldock’s cross from the right evaded everybody before bouncing over a defender and dropping to Brophy just inside the penalty area. He cut onto his right foot before curling goalward. His attempt was more central, but Brad Young saw it late due to the crowd in front of him, and could not react in time to keep it out.
Kendall, who had come on moments before, made it two with his first touch with five minutes remaining. Nick Freeman had the ball on the right and was not closed down, allowing him the time to deliver his cross. The Millwall loanee ran onto it unchallenged and did well to angle his volley into the bottom right corner.
He scored his second moments later. Will Goodwin got in behind the visiting defence, latching onto a ball down the left. He waited for support to arrive in the box before delivering a low centre towards the six-yard box. Kendall saw his initial attempt well saved from close range, but the rebound sat perfectly for him to thump home.
Gareth Ainsworth made one change to the side that beat Tranmere Rovers 2-0, as Lamin Sillah came into the starting XI in place of Conor McManus, who missed out.
Will Goodwin returned to the matchday squad and was named among the substitutes, while Harry Webster and Michael Luxton also made the bench.
Bobby Kamwa had a half-chance in the fourth minute when a loose ball came to him on the edge of the box. Fortunately, he could not make clear contact, sending his shot wide of the left post.
In the 18th minute, Sillah was unlucky not to test the goalkeeper. The ball was played into Harry Waldock, who made his way into the penalty area. He did well to find Sillah with his cutback, but the Nottingham Forest loanee could not guide it goalward, as the ball flicked off the forward and the visitors cleared their lines.
Robbie McKenzie had a half-chance when Ronan Hale played a low pass from a corner towards the edge of the box, with McKenzie bending his run to meet it. Unfortunately, he was off balance, sending it over the crossbar.
Hale was denied by a brilliant save just after the half-hour. Waldock had the ball on the right side of the box and did excellently to work some room before floating a cross deep into the area. His ball found Hale unmarked, and the forward thumped a volley goalward. Brad Young in the visiting goal did well to react quickly and saved with his feet before the danger subsided.
In the 43rd minute, McKenzie was unlucky not to hit the target. Nick Freeman played a high-looping ball towards the penalty spot, which caused everyone inside the box to stop. McKenzie came charging in unchallenged, and his rising leap to meet the ball meant he was caught underneath it and could not keep his header down, as it floated over the crossbar.
HALF-TIME: Gillingham 0-0 Bristol Rovers
McKenzie had the first opportunity of the second-half. Sillah did well to make his way inside, beating a couple of players, before the ball came to McKenzie, who shifted it onto his right foot before stroking a shot towards the bottom right corner. However, he could not guide it on target, as it went wide of the goal.
In the 55th minute, James Brophy gave the Gills the lead. Waldock delivered a dangerous cross from the right that evaded everybody before it bounced over a defender and dropped to Brophy, who was just inside the penalty area. The left wing-back for the day shifted the ball onto his right foot before curling a shot towards the far corner. The attempt was more central, but Young’s sight was impeded by the crowd of bodies in front, meaning he could not react in time, as it curled into the back of the net despite his best efforts.
Bristol Rovers nearly found an immediate response when Ben Purrington connected with a cross from the right. The defender stuck a leg out to guide it goalward, but it was straight at Ollie Wright, who gathered.
Gills made their first change after 62 minutes, as Garath McCleary replaced Hale.
Waldock did incredibly to play a dangerous ball across the face of the goal a few minutes later. He showed great perseverance to close down a Bristol Rovers player, nipping in ahead of him to head the ball forward. The academy graduate had acres of grass to move into as he made his way into the box awaiting support. As it started arriving, he drilled a low ball across the face of the goal, but there were no Gillingham players there to capitalise, as the opportunity went begging.
Shaq Forde tried his luck from the edge of the penalty area when he got on the end of a clearance. He cut inside before curling goalward, but his attempt was at a comfortable height for Wright, who caught the attempt.
Goodwin returned to the field of play with 15 minutes remaining when he replaced Sillah.
In the 83rd minute, the hosts made their final two changes, with Luxton and Sheldon Kendall replacing Eli King and Waldock.
Kendall made an immediate impact, scoring his first league goal with his first touch. Freeman delivered a cross from the right, and the Millwall loanee ran onto it and volleyed the ball into the bottom right corner of the net.
The young winger soon had his second. A ball was played in behind the Bristol Rovers defence down the left-hand side, and Goodwin did well to not give up and get on the end of it. He waited for support to arrive before playing a low centre for Kendall. He saw his initial attempt saved, but the rebound sat perfectly for him to thump home from close range.
Goodwin nearly rounded off the perfect second-half performance when he came close to scoring his first goal for the club in stoppage time. He capitalised on some indecisive defending and found himself one-on-one with Young. The visiting goalkeeper came well off his line to close the angle and got a touch on the shot. There was a moment where the ball looked like it could creep into the bottom corner, but it trickled just wide.
FULL-TIME: Gillingham 3-0 Bristol Rovers
Gillingham: Wright, Smith, Beckles, Dobbs, Freeman, Waldock (Kendall 83’), King (Luxton 83’), McKenzie, Brophy, Hale (McCleary 62’), Sillah (Goodwin 75’)
Unused Substitutes: Holtam, Daley, Wesbter
Bristol Rovers: Young, James, Balmer, Mola, Forde (Russell-Denny 72’), Kamwa (Cavegn 64’), Aitchison, Purrington, Kelly, Harrison (Quigley 80’), Smallwood
Unused Substitutes: Binns, Sparkes, Kilgour, Sanyaolu
Referee: Sunny Singh Gill
Attendance: 5947 (634)
