Match ends, Gillingham 3, Crewe Alexandra 0.
GillinghamGillingham3CreweCrewe Alexandra0
Gillingham won for the first time in five games to restart their automatic promotion push, as they beat League One strugglers Crewe Alexandra.
Dominic Samuel fired home from close range to open the scoring before Crewe's best chance came when Zoumana Bakayogo's 25-yard volley hit the post.
Gillingham's second came when Samuel's 61st-minute volley hit the bar and rebounded in off defender Jon Guthrie.
Josh Wright added an injury-time third, slotting his shot in off the post.
Gillingham stay third, three points off from an automatic promotion spot.
Crewe remain second from bottom, seven points shy of safety, with 10 games left, starting with next Saturday's key home game against 21st-placed Blackpool.
Crewe boss Steve Davis told BBC Radio Stoke:
"We didn't offer much as an attacking threat in the first half. Only Zoumana Bakayogo offered something in the final third. He was our outstanding player,
"He was a threat with his pace and willingness to get forward and put crosses in for us and his volley was an excellent effort.
"We went for it and had a go in the second half. We gambled and that is always going to leave spaces for the opposition. We had a great chance to level it up when Marcus Haber has put Tom Hitchcock in but he snatched at it. It was a type of finish from someone who is a bit out of form and it was a key moment because, not long after, they get their second goal.
"It was a mistake between our left back and centre-back, Samuel has got free in the box and hit the underside of the bar and it has hit Jon and gone in. That about sums it up for us."
Line-ups
Gillingham
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Nelson
- 15Morris
- 5Ehmer
- 6El-AbdBooked at 38minsSubstituted forGarmstonat 46'minutes
- 24Dickenson
- 11McGlashan
- 44Wright
- 7LoftSubstituted forHessenthalerat 63'minutes
- 9Williams
- 19NorrisSubstituted forDonnellyat 81'minutes
- 14Samuel
Substitutes
- 3Garmston
- 8Hessenthaler
- 12Morris
- 16Osadebe
- 17Donnelly
- 34Oldaker
Crewe
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Garratt
- 2Turton
- 4DavisSubstituted forKirkat 46'minutes
- 6NugentBooked at 67mins
- 3Guthrie
- 11Cooper
- 15FoxSubstituted forBinghamat 64'minutes
- 20Jones
- 41Bakayogo
- 36HitchcockSubstituted forAinleyat 64'minutes
- 9Haber
Substitutes
- 5Ray
- 8Atkinson
- 13Richards
- 18Bingham
- 23Ng
- 25Ainley
- 31Kirk
- Referee:
- Keith Hill
- Attendance:
- 5,656
Match Stats
Home TeamGillinghamAway TeamCrewe
- Possession
- Home54%
- Away46%
- Shots
- Home13
- Away12
- Shots on Target
- Home8
- Away4
- Corners
- Home8
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home8
- Away12
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Gillingham 3, Crewe Alexandra 0.
Post update
Attempt missed. George Cooper (Crewe Alexandra) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right.
Goal!
Goal! Gillingham 3, Crewe Alexandra 0. Josh Wright (Gillingham) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Jermaine McGlashan.
Post update
Dominic Samuel (Gillingham) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Ben Nugent (Crewe Alexandra).
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Attempt missed. Zoumana Bakayogo (Crewe Alexandra) left footed shot from outside the box is too high.
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Attempt saved. George Cooper (Crewe Alexandra) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the top left corner.
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Corner, Gillingham. Conceded by Billy Bingham.
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Attempt missed. Jake Hessenthaler (Gillingham) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.
Substitution
Substitution, Gillingham. Rory Donnelly replaces Luke Norris.
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Attempt missed. George Cooper (Crewe Alexandra) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high.
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Attempt saved. Billy Bingham (Crewe Alexandra) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
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Corner, Crewe Alexandra. Conceded by Max Ehmer.
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Attempt missed. Billy Bingham (Crewe Alexandra) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right.
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Attempt missed. George Cooper (Crewe Alexandra) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.
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Foul by George Williams (Gillingham).
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Ben Nugent (Crewe Alexandra) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Luke Norris (Gillingham).
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(Crewe Alexandra) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
