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Wigan Athletic 3 Gillingham 2 – match report

Gillingham lost to Wigan in stoppage-time after letting slip a two-goal lead.

Dominic Samuel fired the Gills ahead midway through the first half and Rory Donnelly doubled the advantage after the break.

But two goals from Wigan in four minutes levelled the scores, as Will Grigg and Max Power struck, before Craig Morgan headed in an injury-time winner.

Wigan score their third on Thursday night Picture: Barry Goodwin
Wigan score their third on Thursday night Picture: Barry Goodwin

Gills boss Justin Edinburgh stuck with an unchanged XI for their trip to Wigan. A place at the top of League 1 was up for grabs.

All they had to do was avoid defeat to reclaim top spot. Things were looking good with a 2-0 lead but the Gills couldn’t hold on.

Bradley Dack had the best of the early chances, smacking a curling free-kick against the upright, with keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen beaten. Rory Donnelly got on the loose ball but was unable to find the target with the follow-up.

Wigan were a threat throughout the half but a bit of quality gave the Gills the advantage. A super ball from Dack sent Samuel in on goal and he squeezed the shot past the keeper to put the visitors ahead.

Bradley Dack takes on his marker Picture: Barry Goodwin
Bradley Dack takes on his marker Picture: Barry Goodwin

It was Gillingham’s only on-target effort of the half.

Wigan had enough chances in the remainder of the half to get back on level terms but their finishing was poor.

Andy Kellett missed when unmarked from a corner just moments after Stuart Nelson had made a great save low down to turn Michael Jacobs shot wide of the post.

A Donervon Daniels cross looked inviting but nobody was on the end of it and the defender - a former Gills loanee – also fired wide with an effort.

The half ended with Jason Pearce heading a corner over the bar.

Gillingham came close early in the second half with Samuel volleying wide from a Dack corner.

Dack should have put the Gills two-up with 51 minutes gone, latching onto a through ball from Samuel, but a poor touch saw the chance go begging.

The Gills did double their lead moments later. Half-time substitute Doug Loft crossed the ball in and Donnelly was on hand to head home from close range.

Grigg pulled a goal back after 65 minutes, turning the ball home from close range, after a cross from Jordy Hiwula wasn’t dealt with by the Gills defence.

It was soon all square as Nelson let Power’s long-range shot slip through his grasp on 68 minutes.

Daniels shot narrowly wide for the home side as they kept the pressure up.

Brief attacking flurries for the Gills saw Samuel and John Egan shoot at the keeper.

Gillingham conceded in stoppage time as a Power corner was headed in by Morgan, to win it for the home side.

Wigan: Jaaskelainen, James (Hiwula 56mins), Kellett (McCann 56mins), Morgan, Barnett, Pearce, Perkins, Daniels, Power, Grigg, Jacobs (Davies 90mins). Subs not used: Nicholls, Cowie, Love, Vuckic.

Gillingham: Nelson, Jackson, Garmston, Egan, Ehmer, Hessenthaler (Osadebe 77mins), Samuel, A.Morris (Loft 46mins), Donnelly, Dack, Wright (McGlashan 86mins). Subs not used: G.Morris, Williamson, Norris, List

Attendance: 7,923

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