Second-half goals from Conor Masterson, Armani Little and Sam Vokes ensured that Gillingham left the Exercise Stadium with all three points, beating Harrogate Town 3-0 on Saturday afternoon.
After a goalless first-half, it took the visitors just six minutes to open the scoring in the second when Conor Masterson thumped home. Max Clark’s ball into the penalty area found Josh Andrews, who headed it down into Masterson’s path, and he made no mistake in rifling his rising shot into the back of the net.
Three minutes later Gillingham had the chance to double their advantage when Josh Andrews was tripped inside the box when attempting to latch onto Garath McCleary’s pass, leaving the referee no choice but to award a penalty. Little stepped up and made no mistake, drilling his spot kick into the bottom left corner, with his attempt having too much pace for Henry Gray to get onto.
Vokes came off the bench to put the cherry on top of a fine away display when he reacted the quickest to get on the end of McCleary’s scuffed shot. The former Wales international ran onto the ball and struck it with his left foot, sending a thunderbolt into the top corner.
Gareth Ainsworth named an unchanged starting XI following the 3-2 win against Newport County. Travis Akomeah and Euan Williams came into the matchday squad, being named on the bench. Elliott Nevitt dropped out, having moved on loan to Cambridge, while Ethan Coleman missed out due to injury.
The opening ten minutes of the game were scrappy, as both teams looked to establish possession in the midfield. Gillingham got into some good areas, producing a couple of good crosses, which they could not capitalise on.
Bradley Dack nearly headed Gillingham in front in the 14th minute. Jonny Smith had the ball on the right wing and was allowed to cut inside onto his left foot before curling into the penalty area. His cross found an unmarked Dack, who was on the edge of the six-yard box, and he headed goalward. It was down the middle, allowing Henry Gray to get a solid hand onto it to push it over the crossbar.
In the 19th minute, Gillingham were forced into their first substitution when Jonny Smith went down with what appeared to be a foot injury, and he could not continue. He was replaced by Garath McCleary.
The hosts thought they had taken the lead after 24 minutes. The visitors could not clear Jacob Slater’s cross into the penalty area, and the ball dropped to Lewis Cass, who thumped a shot goalward. The ball took a deflection on its way into the back of the net, but the referee blew his whistle for a foul, meaning the goal was ruled out.
Sam Gale came close to giving the Gills the lead on the half-hour. Dack’s free-kick was headed up high into the air by a Harrogate defender before it eventually got to Gale, who did well to get it out of his feet before sending a low drive goalward. However, it was too close to Gray, who got down to make the save before the ball was eventually cleared.
Conor Masterson was the next man to test Gray as Gills broke forward after Armani Little did well to regain possession halfway inside their half. He carried it into the Harrogate half before playing it to Aaron Rowe, who took it down the left wing before crossing into the box. Masterson had pushed forward to join the attack, sending a diving header goalward. Unfortunately, it was straight at Gray, who gathered.
The visitors continued to apply pressure, as Gray made two big saves to keep the game goalless. Josh Andrews did well to hold the ball up before laying it off to the oncoming Little, who spotted McCleary’s run in behind the Harrogate defence. He played the ball through for McCleary, who found himself one-on-one with Gray, who had come off his line to close the angle. The Gills winger attempted to poke it past the goalkeeper, but he did well to close him down and blocked the effort.
Moments later, Robbie McKenzie was denied. Dack’s long ball was knocked down by Andrews into McKenzie’s path, who brought it under his control before sending a left-footed strike towards the bottom right corner. However, Gray scrambled across to claw it away from the goal before Harrogate cleared their lines.
HALF-TIME: Harrogate Town 0-0 Gillingham
Masterson thumped Gillingham into the lead six minutes after the break. Max Clark’s cross into the penalty area found Andrews, who headed it down into Masterson’s path. The defender did well to get a clean strike off, rifling his rising shot beyond the helpless Gray, and the ball cannoned into the back of the net.
The visitors were awarded a penalty three minutes later. McCleary had the ball 20 yards from the goal before slipping the ball into the box for Andrews to run onto. As the forward tried to reach the ball, he was tripped by the Harrogate defender that he had run across, and the referee pointed to the penalty spot.
Little doubled the Gillingham lead from the resulting spot kick. The Gills captain showed great composure, drilling his attempt into the bottom left corner, with his strike having too much pace for Gray, who had guessed the right way.
Emile Acquah nearly found an immediate response for the hosts when he tried his luck from distance. His low drive was straight at Morris, who had initially let it squeeze between his legs. However, he was able to block it with his foot behind him before gathering.
In the 69th minute, Gills made a double substitution, as Sam Vokes and Seb Palmer-Houlden replaced Andrews and Rowe.
Gills made their final change on 82 minutes, as Euan Williams made his first appearance of the season, replacing Dack.
Vokes added a third in the 84th minute. A defensive header was cleared as far as McCleary, who was afforded the time and space to shoot. However, he could not make clean contact with his shot, and he scuffed it into the penalty area. Vokes got on the end of it before smashing a left-footed effort into the top corner of the net, leaving Gray with no chance.
Harrogate went in search of a late consolation, but Gills stood firm to ensure they left Yorkshire with a clean sheet.
FULL-TIME: Harrogate Town 0-3 Gillingham
Harrogate Town: Gray, Slater, Morris, Acquah, Headman, Muldoon (Sutton 66’), R. Smith, Cass, Cursons (Thomson 46’), Heffernan, Falkingham (Marsh 78’)
Unused Substitutes: Oxley, McAleny, Horton, Gibson
Gillingham: Morris, Gale, A. Smith, Masterson, Clark, Little, McKenzie, J. Smith (McCleary 19’), Dack (E. Williams 82’), Rowe (Palmer-Houlden 69’), Andrews (Vokes 69’)
Unused Substitutes: Turner, Hutton, Akomeah
Referee: Zac Kennard-Kettle
Attendance: 2747 (472 Gillingham supporters)
