Late goals sink Gills

Two late well-taken goals saw the Gills beaten 2-0 by Swindon on Tuesday night.

The Gills had the better of the chances at the County Ground, but their impressive performance was destined to be worth nothing when Matt Ritchie leathered a fine shot into the top corner 10 minutes from time.

The visitors pushed for a leveller and created a great chance for substitute Danny Kedwell, but he got the ball stuck under his feet and was unable to convert.

And the misery was complete in stoppage time when Jonathan Smith netted another well-struck effort to give the Robins a win which takes them above the Gills in the league standings.

The Gills made two enforced changes to their side as Danny Jackman and Charlie Lee replaced the banned Joe Martin and Lewis Montrose.

Luke Rooney had an early sighter from a free-kick which had goalkeeper Wes Foderingham scrambling, but it went just wide, while at the other end, Jackman had his hands full with the lively Ritchie, who twice missed the target in the early stages – although the latter did take a slight nick on the way through.

Matt Fish produced a fine block to deny Raffaele Da Vita as the Swine had a good spell of pressure in the first half, but the Gills were inches away from taking the lead as the half drew to a close.

Chris Whelpdale, who had earlier shot straight at Foderingham, met a Frank Nouble cross but was denied by the Robins keeper – and the rebound fell to Jo Kuffour, who saw his effort somehow kept out by Alan McCormack.

Flitney saved from Ritchie as the half drew to a close, and also kept out Alessandro Cibbochi’s long-range effort either side of two Curtis Weston sighters which went wide of the goal.

Twenty minutes into the half the Gills went mightily close to the opener as a fine move ended with Rooney’s shot hitting the inside of the post and bouncing away to safety.

Kedwell was soon introduced for Kuffour – who must have been shattered after his endeavours on Saturday – but the deadlock was to be broken at the other end as Ritchie cut in from the right and fired an unstoppable 30-yard shot past Flitney and into the top corner.

But then came Kedwell’s moment to score against the club considered as the Gills’ biggest rivals, but after Nouble’s cross found him six yards out, the life-long Gills fan fluffed his lines.

And he – and the Gills – were made to pay when Alan Connell’s pass found its way to Smith 20 yards out, and he curled home past Flitney.

The Gills drop to ninth in the table but are just three points outside the automatic spots ahead of Saturday’s trip to fellow high-fliers Morecambe.