Late goals from Seb Palmer-Houlden and Jonny Williams were not enough as Gillingham fell to a 3-2 defeat against MK Dons at Stadium MK on Saturday.
Three changes were made to the Gillingham starting XI from the defeat against Harrogate Town. Shad Ogie, Ethan Coleman and Aaron Rowe came into the line-up in the place of Jonny Smith and Bradley Dack respectively, who missed out. Max Clark was named among the substitutes.
Jon Mellish had the first opportunity as the hosts broke forward. Nathaniel Mendez-Laing carried the ball down the left-hand side before running into the penalty area. He cut it back to Mellish, who aimed goalward, with his shot taking a deflection and it bounced into the arms of Glenn Morris.
Laurence Maguire gave Milton Keynes the lead soon after. Callum Paterson’s long throw eventually came back out to him before he curled a dangerous cross towards the six-yard box. Morris got a hand on it to take it off the head of one attacker, but it dropped perfectly to Maguire, who prodded it goalward. The ball took a deflection and ended up in the back of the net.
Gills had a huge let-off when Will Collar could not make a better connection with his attempt. A pass played forward from the back was cut out by Mendez-Laing, who took it towards the box. He played it across to Collar, who shot first time, but he could not make the right contact and he sent it well wide.
Andy Smith had a half-chance after 12 minutes when he met Ogie’s long throw into the penalty area. However, he could not direct it on target and it went the wrong side of the near post.
MK Dons continued to put intense pressure on the Gills goal when Paterson fired wide. The forward received the ball from 35 yards out before driving forward. He had options to pass but opted to shoot. His strike had plenty of power as it fizzed wide of the target via a slight deflection for a corner, which came to nothing.
In the 35th minute, Aaron Nemane tried his luck from distance when he received a short pass from a free-kick. He had plenty of time and space to set himself before shooting, with his low drive straight at Morris.
HALF-TIME: MK Dons 1-0 Gillingham
Coleman came close in the 50th minute. Remeao Hutton was fouled on the right touchline around 20 yards from the goal. Jonny Williams curled the free kick into the penalty area, with Coleman rising the highest. He headed goalward with his attempt landing on the roof of the net.
Robbie McKenzie was denied by Craig MacGillivray soon after. Hutton played a first time pass down the right, which Elliott Nevitt got on the end of. He carried it forward before cutting the ball back to the penalty spot. McKenzie ran onto the pass, shooting first time, but his attempt was parried away by MacGillivray before the ball went out for a corner.
Mendez-Laing doubled the hosts' lead in the 57th minute. Gills could not clear their lines, which allowed the forward to make his way into the box unchallenged. He cut onto his left foot before firing into the far bottom corner, leaving Morris with no chance.
The hosts came close to making it three after the hour. They caught Gills on the counter and sent a ball down the right for Mendez-Laing to chase. He had two runners in the middle and found Liam Kelly inside the box. The midfielder was in acres of space, but sent his first time effort wide of the near post.
Gills made a double substitution in the 65th minute. Sam Vokes and Seb Palmer-Houlden replaced Nevitt and Josh Andrews.
Paterson made it three for the hosts after Will Collar ran half the length of the pitch to make it into the Gillingham penalty area. He squared it for Paterson, who slid the ball into the back of the net from a few yards out.
Jonny Williams had a good chance to pull a goal back when he got in behind the Milton Keynes defence after a long ball forward. Unfortunately, he struck the ball over the crossbar.
The former Wales international had another opportunity soon after. Sam Gale did brilliantly to carry the ball up to the edge of the MK Dons penalty area before being brought down. The loose ball came to Jonny Williams, who struck it first time, with his attempt fizzing over the goal.
Palmer-Houlden scored his first Gillingham goal in the 76th minute. Rowe sent a low-driven ball into the six-yard box, which MacGillivray got a touch on. The ball came out to Palmer-Houlden, who blasted the ball high into the net from close range.
Moments later, Gills made another double substitution. Clark and Lenni Cirino entered the game, replacing Rowe and Ogie.
Jonny Williams pulled another goal back in the fourth minute of added time. Sam Gale played a pinpoint ball into the penalty area, finding the former Wales international. He brought it under control before firing across the goal and into the top corner.
Gills had a late corner in the final seconds, but could not make it count, as they fell just short in their comeback efforts.
FULL-TIME: MK Dons 3-2 Gillingham
MK Dons: MacGillivray, Offord, Ekpiteta, Maguire (Thompson 87’), Nemane, Collar (Thompson-Sommers 83’), Kelly (Crowley 83’), Gilbey, Mellish, Mendez-Laing (Leko 87’), Paterson
Unused Substitutes: Trueman, Tripp
Gillingham: Morris, Hutton, Smith, Gale, Ogie (Cirino 77’), Rowe (Clark 77’), McKenzie, Coleman, J. Williams, Andrews (Vokes 65’), Nevitt (Palmer-Houlden 65’)
Unused Substitutes: Turner, Akomeah, Khumbeni
Referee: Darren Drysdale
Attendance: 7646 (1375 Gillingham supporters)
