Gillingham were twice behind at Morecambe but left with a much-needed win.
Jordan Slew’s opener for Morecambe was cancelled out by Oli Hawkins’ strike in the first half. Charlie Brown put the Shrimps back ahead before Tim Dieng levelled it up again from distance and Conor Mahoney hit the winner.
Gillingham had Conor Masterson back from suspension and midfielder Ethan Coleman available again following illness but head coach Stephen Clemence chose to stick with an unchanged eleven.
The draw at home to Grimsby had seen them play well but missed chances proved costly.
This was a game between two sides badly needing wins in a bid to claim a play-off place. Clemence’s men were without a win in four and Morecambe had lost their previous three.
There was a boost for the Gills on Saturday as Josh Andrews was named in the squad for the first time since his February 1 arrival from Birmingham City.
Gillingham, who were playing into the wind, made a positive start to the half and Oli Hawkins had the ball in the net but his early effort was ruled out for offside.
The good start was undone in the 11th minute. Shad Ogie’s pass forward was cut out by Brown and he picked out the run of Slew, who finished first time past Glenn Morris.
An equaliser was soon to come, however, as Hawkins slotted in on 18 minutes when home keeper Archie Mair could only palm Remeao Hutton’s cross into the striker’s path.
Neither keeper was overly troubled for the remainder of the half dispute plenty of attacking intent as the teams went in level, Morecambe enjoying some late pressure without capitalising before the whistle signalled the break.
Morecambe forward Slew screwed one effort wide moments before Gills keeper Morris stuck out a hand to deny him at the far post as he arrived onto Brown’s deep cross.
Morris had to save again with just over an hour gone after Brown fired goalwards from Gerard Garner’s ball in.
Pressure from the hosts paid off after 64 minutes with the Gills struggling to clear. Max Clark gave the ball away in a dangerous place rather than lashing it clear and Brown stuck out a boot to guide Garner’s miscued effort into the back of the net.
The Gills were level again after 73 minutes when Dieng hit a super strike from 25 yards over the head of the keeper.
Morris saved from former Gills man David Tutonda with 10 minutes left and Garner shot wide for the hosts. Ehmer almost got in at the other end before Jake Taylor made a vital late challenge.
The Gills went ahead with four minutes of normal time left as Mahoney picked up a weak clearance from the keeper, took a touch and drilled in a shot from the left edge of the box into the bottom corner.
League 2 table
Morecambe: Mair, Tutonda, Bedeau, Adams (Edwards 76mins), Garner, Senior, Slew, Stokes, Taylor, Brown (Hiwula 89mins), Khumbeni. Subs not used: A Smith, Songo’o, Larsson, C Smith, Harrack.
Gillingham: Morris, Hutton, Clark (Malone 68mins), Ehmer, Ogie, McKenzie (Coleman 68mins), Dieng, Lapslie (Clarke 80mins), J Williams (Walker 60mins), Mahoney, Hawkins (Andrews 80mins)). Subs not used: Turner, Masterson.
Referee: Paul Howard
Attendance: 3,408 (208 away)
