Match ends, Northampton Town 1, Gillingham 2.
Northampton Town 1-2 Gillingham
- From the section League One
Gillingham continued their excellent run of form with a fifth win in eight games as they beat Northampton at Sixfields.
Josh Parker and Tom Eaves scored in the first half to send Gills back in the top half as Northampton dropped to 20th, just two points above the relegation zone.
Only six minutes had passed when Parker capitalised on poor defending to run at the home defence and hammer a 20-yard shot into the top corner.
It could have been two for the dominant visitors as Eaves somehow cleared the crossbar from four yards, but he atoned for that miss on 18 minutes when poking in Luke O'Neill's drilled cross.
Northampton had been outplayed and they were fortunate not to be further behind after Parker's header was ruled out for offside and Eaves sent another shot just wide.
The home side got back into the game 10 minutes into the second half when Ash Taylor delicately guided Matt Grimes' free-kick into the corner but Tomas Holy denied Gboly Ariyibi in their only other chance and Gillingham held on.
Match report supplied by the Press Association.
Line-ups
Northampton
- 13O'Donnell
- 2Moloney
- 6Taylor
- 37TurnbullBooked at 64mins
- 39Bunney
- 8FoleySubstituted forPereiraat 45'minutesBooked at 90mins
- 29GrimesBooked at 31mins
- 14HoskinsSubstituted forAriyibiat 57'minutes
- 21O'Toole
- 11PowellBooked at 20minsSubstituted forMathisat 83'minutes
- 19Long
Substitutes
- 1Cornell
- 5Barnett
- 9Mathis
- 17McWilliams
- 22Crooks
- 28Pereira
- 45Ariyibi
Gillingham
- 13Holy
- 5Ehmer
- 6Zakuani
- 19NugentSubstituted forMartinat 71'minutes
- 2O'NeillBooked at 79mins
- 8Hessenthaler
- 26ReillyBooked at 11minsSubstituted forWagstaffat 71'minutes
- 33Byrne
- 12OgilvieBooked at 63mins
- 9Eaves
- 14Parker
Substitutes
- 3Garmston
- 7Wagstaff
- 10Wilkinson
- 11Martin
- 21List
- 30Hadler
- 44Moussa
- Referee:
- Charles Breakspear
- Attendance:
- 5,123
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home56%
- Away44%
- Shots
- Home13
- Away9
- Shots on Target
- Home5
- Away3
- Corners
- Home2
- Away10
- Fouls
- Home14
- Away13
Live Text
Dismissal
Second yellow card to Hildeberto Pereira (Northampton Town).
Full Time
Second Half ends, Northampton Town 1, Gillingham 2.
Brendon Moloney (Northampton Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Tom Eaves (Gillingham).
Booking
Hildeberto Pereira (Northampton Town) is shown the yellow card.
Corner, Gillingham. Conceded by Hildeberto Pereira.
Gboly Ariyibi (Northampton Town) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Lee Martin (Gillingham).
Brendon Moloney (Northampton Town) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Josh Parker (Gillingham).
Foul by Hildeberto Pereira (Northampton Town).
Lee Martin (Gillingham) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Corner, Gillingham. Conceded by Brendon Moloney.
Foul by Boris Mathis (Northampton Town).
Max Ehmer (Gillingham) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Gboly Ariyibi (Northampton Town).
Scott Wagstaff (Gillingham) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Attempt missed. Jordan Turnbull (Northampton Town) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right following a corner.
Corner, Northampton Town. Conceded by Jake Hessenthaler.
Attempt blocked. Gboly Ariyibi (Northampton Town) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Attempt missed. Tom Eaves (Gillingham) right footed shot from very close range is close, but misses to the left.
Attempt saved. Josh Parker (Gillingham) header from very close range is saved in the bottom right corner.
Substitution
Substitution, Northampton Town. Boris Mathis replaces Daniel Powell.
Foul by Gboly Ariyibi (Northampton Town).
Josh Parker (Gillingham) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Attempt missed. John-Joe O'Toole (Northampton Town) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right.
Attempt saved. John-Joe O'Toole (Northampton Town) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Booking
Luke O'Neill (Gillingham) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Daniel Powell (Northampton Town) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Luke O'Neill (Gillingham).
Foul by Daniel Powell (Northampton Town).
Mark Byrne (Gillingham) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Attempt missed. Hildeberto Pereira (Northampton Town) right footed shot from the centre of the box is just a bit too high.
Corner, Gillingham. Conceded by Chris Long.
Corner, Gillingham. Conceded by Joe Bunney.
Attempt missed. Lee Martin (Gillingham) right footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the left.
Corner, Gillingham. Conceded by Ash Taylor.
Substitution
Substitution, Gillingham. Lee Martin replaces Ben Nugent.
Substitution
Substitution, Gillingham. Scott Wagstaff replaces Callum Reilly.