Gillingham’s miserable run of form continued at Priestfield on Saturday with defeat to Notts County.
The visitors scored twice inside four first-half minutes through Nick Tsaroulla and David McGoldrick to take charge of the League 2 match. Joe Gbode headed home to half that lead with 10 minutes left but the Gills were unable to complete the turnaround
Defeat extended the winless run for the Gills to eight games, losing their last three on home soil.
Gillingham went into the game starting 17th in the table with their early season promotion hopes a distant memory.
Manager John Coleman made two changes to his forward department with Jimmy-Jay Morgan and Elliott Nevitt both back from injury, the returning pair replacing Gbode and Jack Nolan.
The Gills had been through the month of January without registering a goal scored by themselves. Both of Gillingham’s efforts from a winless month came from own-goals.
There was a pre-match announcement that Grimsby Town’s Doug Tharme would be receiving a memento for his efforts after winning the monthly award.
Gillingham had beaten Notts County 1-0 back in September, with Nevitt getting the winner on that occasion.
On paper, Notts County weren’t the kind of team you would be wanting to meet while going through a tough spell. The Magpies have no problems scoring themselves and started the day third in the table.
Despite the standings pre-match and differences in form, the Gills started brightly and Morgan was close to converting a Shad Ogie cross, just missing a touch as he stretched to get to the ball.
Gillingham were unable to make their positive start count and Notts started to threaten with McGoldrick shooting narrowly wide.
Goalkeeper Glenn Morris denied Alassana Jatta from close-range but from the resulting corner Notts took a 17th minute lead.
The ball was swung in and when Robbie McKenzie’s attempted clearance hit another player it fell nicely for Tsaroulla to hook it home.
With 20 minutes played, Notts had another goal. Sam Gale cut out a pass from Matty Platt that was destined for Jatta but there was nobody else around to assist as McGoldrick picked up the loose ball and scored with a delightful chip over Morris.
The mood in the home crowd was one of frustration and anger.
A few half chances came Gillingham’s way with Agbinone firing a tame shot at keeper Alex Bass and Max Ehmer clearing the bar with a shot.
County went close to extending the lead when Jodi Jones hit a free-kick into the side netting.
Gbode replaced Agbinone at the break as the Gills attempted an unlikely fightback.
Nevitt had a shot that went well wide of the target and with frustration growing he picked up a booking, quickly followed by Gbode after some pushing and shoving.
Armani Little tested the keeper from distance and Bass needed two attempts to keep hold of the driven effort.
Jatta went close for Notts before Coleman made a triple change in an effort to salvage something from the game.
There was frustration in the home crowd when referee Tom Reeves halted play just after Ogie had slipped Jayden Clarke in with a pass. It was a promising move ended by the official’s whistle, blown so a County player who was off the field could receive treatment.
The County player was fine and the chance had gone for the Gills.
Gillingham got a goal back with 10 minutes left. Clarke’s shot was cleared by a defender after Bass struggled to hold and from Little’s resultant corner kick Gbode headed in at the far post, claiming his first Football League goal.
Coleman’s men pressed for an equaliser.
League 2 table
Gillingham: Morris, Hutton, Ogie, Ehmer, Gale, Little, McKenzie, Khumbeni (Dack 65mins), Morgan (Rowe 65mins), Nevitt (Clarke 65mins), Agbinone (Gbode 46mins). Subs not used: Turner, Clark, Nolan.
Notts Co: Bass, McDonald, Bedeau, Platt, Jones (Jarvis 74mins), Whitaker (Edwards 73mins), McGoldrick, Palmer, Tsaroulla (Gordon 61mins), Jatta, Abbott. Subs not used: Slocombe, Cundy, Johnson, Cisse.
Referee: Tom Reeves
Attendance: 6,031 (660 away)
