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Gillingham 1 Doncaster Rovers 1 - match report

John Marquis nets Gillingham's equaliser on Saturday Picture: Barry Goodwin
John Marquis nets Gillingham's equaliser on Saturday Picture: Barry Goodwin

Gillingham battled it out for a draw with fellow play-off hopefuls Doncaster on Saturday.

Harry Forrester’s audacious free-kick put Doncaster ahead but John Marquis levelled for the Gills.

Gills boss Justin Edinburgh unsurprisingly named an unchanged team from the one which started in the midweek win over Swindon.

The Gills were eager for another win to keep hopes alive that they can break into the top six. Sitting sixth before Saturday’s game were visitors Doncaster.

An even first half ended level but it was the Gills who had the best of the early chances as Bradley Dack’s lob was cleared off the line by Doncaster’s Andy Butler.

Butler then headed a good chance wide from a free-kick moments later before the goals arrived.

Doncaster got their noses infront in the 40th minute when substitute Forrester tried his luck from 40 yards and watched as the curling effort looped over the head of keeper Stuart Nelson.

The scores were level just four minutes later and it came from another wind-assisted free-kick. Doug Loft whipped the ball in, former Gills keeper Stephen Bywater failed to hold and Marquis’ header squeezed in at the near post.

It was Marquis’ seventh goal since joining on loan from Millwall.

Marquis was denied a second by Bywater early in the second half, as his low shot threatened to creep into the bottom corner, after he had turned a defender inside out.

Curtis Main fired over for Doncaster from close range with just over an hour gone and sub Kyle Bennett curled an effort wide as the visitors bossed things.

Nelson had to make a good save from Forrester with 13 minutes left, after he ran at goal, leaving several defenders in his wake. Theo Robinson also headed wide late on for Doncaster.

The Gills introduced Jermaine McGlashan in a bid to turn the tide but he wasn’t to be the super-sub this weekend.

Norris put a chance wide for the hosts late on and Marquis fired over as the Gills had to settle for a point.

Gillingham: Nelson, Hoyte, Martin, Egan, Ehmer, Loft, Hessenthaler, Pritchard (A Morris 25mins), Dack (McGlashan 82mins), Marquis, McDonald (Norris 74mins). Subs: Legge, G Morris, Galbraith, Dickenson.

Doncaster: Bywater, Stevens, Wabara, Butler, McCullough, Razak (Bennett 58mins), Wellens, Furman, Coppinger (Forrester 34mins), Tyson (Robinson 76mins), Main. Subs: Marosi, McCombe, Evina, Ikpeazu.

Attendance: 5,909 (370 away).

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