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Gills into play-off positions with Vale win

Simeon Jackson salutes the Gills fans after scoring the final goal in a 3-1 win at Port Vale
Simeon Jackson salutes the Gills fans after scoring the final goal in a 3-1 win at Port Vale

Port Vale 1 Gillingham 3

A blistering second-half fightback from Gillingham at Vale Park secured them a second away win in a week.

The win moved the Gills up to seventh and into the play-off positions for the first time in two months.

Port Vale striker Marc Richards? long range effort separated the sides at half-time but Dennis Oli replied right at the start of the second-half to set up Gillingham?s comeback.

Adam Miller put Gillingham 2-1 up midway through the half and minutes later, Simeon Jackson netted his 13th of the season from the penalty spot to put the visitors well in charge.

The Gills should have been ahead with just three minutes gone. Andy Barcham?s close range effort was saved by Joe Anyon and Gary Mulligan?s follow-up was blocked on the line by John McCombe.

Simon Royce had to be alert to tip over Louis Dodds? long range effort while at the other end, Oli came even closer with a volley that clipped the bar.

Just a minute after Richards had cleared a Gillingham corner-kick off his own goal line, he fired in Vale?s opener on 29 minutes with a shot from the edge of the box.

The Gills ended the half with less spark than they started it and just before the break, John Nutter?s speculative shot went well over.

Gillingham made a perfect start to the second-half when Oli struck a powerful shot from 20-yards after Jackson had flicked on Simon Royce?s deep free-kick.

The ascendancy remained with the Gills in the early stages and Jackson fired shots wide of each post before Miller scored with a sublime finish from Nutter?s cross with 69 minutes gone.

Three minutes later it was 3-1 when defender Anthony Griffith handled in the box and Jackson stepped up to score from the spot.

Gillingham continued to dominate the half and left with a well deserved three points.


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The Gills squad has stayed in the north since beating Morecambe on Saturday and manager Mark Stimson praised the players? attitude on and off the pitch.

He said: "That was fantastic. We went to Port Vale last year and should have won the game but didn?t. It just shows that this group is totally different to what I had last year.

?We went a goal behind and I thought we probably should have been 2-0 up. To come back and play like we did in the second half I was proud of them.

?We?ve been with them since Friday and it?s been an absolute privilege to be in charge of a group of players with so much desire and honesty.

?We?ve had a fantastic four or five days together and their attitude has been spot on. Not one of them stepped out of line.?


Gills: Royce, Nutter, Lewis, King, Bentley, Mulligan (Southall 46mins), Jackson, Miller, Oli, Weston, Barcham. Subs not used: Pugh, Julian, Cumbers, Payne.

Vale: Anyon, Collins, McCombe, Prosser, Griffith, Howland (Richman 79mins), Richards, Dodds (Edwards 79mins), Brown, Thompson (Lawrie 83mins), Brammer. Subs not used: Martin, Stockley.

Attendance: 4,539

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