Match ends, Lincoln City 0, Gillingham 3.
Lincoln CityLincoln City0GillinghamGillingham3
Former Lincoln striker Vadaine Oliver returned to haunt his old club as he scored the opener in Gillingham's 3-0 win to boost their League One play-off hopes.
The Imps' bid for automatic promotion took another nosedive and another ex-City frontman contributed to the win as John Akinde provided the through-ball for Kyle Dempsey to score the second, before Jordan Graham added a late third from the spot.
City started the better and Regan Poole was inches from converting Brennan Johnson's terrific cross inside five minutes, before the latter's effort from Poole's cross bounced narrowly wide.
But just 10 minutes in, City's defence were at sixes and sevens trying to clear a ball into the box and there was Oliver to head home for the Gills.
The visitors doubled their lead after 20 minutes, when Dempsey ran on to Akinde's pass and slammed the ball past Alex Palmer.
Palmer kept the Imps in it with a brilliant double save from Graham and Ryan Jackson, before Morgan Rogers fired just wide at the other end.
Liam Bridcutt's drive from Johnson's pass early in the second half was deflected just wide by Oliver and then Tayo Edun brought a tremendous save out of visiting keeper Jack Bonham, who flung himself to his right to tip the left-back's 25-yard effort onto the bar.
Poole then fired wide as City strived to get back into the match, but sub Cohen Bramall brought down Graham in the area three minutes from time and the same player smashed home the resultant penalty to seal a comfortable success.
Match report supplied by PA Media.
Line-ups
Lincoln City
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Palmer
- 2Poole
- 4Montsma
- 5Jackson
- 7EdunBooked at 72mins
- 20JohnsonBooked at 69mins
- 18McGrandles
- 23BridcuttSubstituted forBramallat 65'minutes
- 27Rogers
- 9HopperSubstituted forScullyat 82'minutes
- 19Morton
Substitutes
- 8Jones
- 11Scully
- 14Archibald
- 15Bramall
- 17Howarth
- 22Eyoma
- 31Long
Gillingham
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Bonham
- 2Jackson
- 25Cundy
- 5TuckerBooked at 63mins
- 3Ogilvie
- 10GrahamSubstituted forO'Connorat 90+1'minutes
- 8Dempsey
- 4O'KeefeBooked at 49mins
- 16MacDonaldSubstituted forMcKenzieat 89'minutes
- 15AkindeBooked at 76minsSubstituted forJohnsonat 90+4'minutes
- 19OliverSubstituted forLeeat 90+4'minutes
Substitutes
- 11Lee
- 12Bastien
- 14McKenzie
- 17Johnson
- 21O'Connor
- 23Woods
- Referee:
- Ross Joyce
Match Stats
Home TeamLincoln CityAway TeamGillingham
- Possession
- Home68%
- Away32%
- Shots
- Home18
- Away9
- Shots on Target
- Home2
- Away6
- Corners
- Home6
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home13
- Away21
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Lincoln City 0, Gillingham 3.
Post update
Attempt saved. Callum Morton (Lincoln City) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Anthony Scully.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Morgan Rogers (Lincoln City) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Brennan Johnson.
Post update
Corner, Lincoln City. Conceded by Jack Tucker.
Substitution
Substitution, Gillingham. Tyreke Johnson replaces John Akinde.
Substitution
Substitution, Gillingham. Olly Lee replaces Vadaine Oliver.
Post update
Brennan Johnson (Lincoln City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Connor Ogilvie (Gillingham).
Post update
Attempt saved. John Akinde (Gillingham) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Vadaine Oliver.
Substitution
Substitution, Gillingham. Thomas O'Connor replaces Jordan Graham.
Post update
Foul by Morgan Rogers (Lincoln City).
Post update
Robbie Cundy (Gillingham) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Conor McGrandles (Lincoln City).
Post update
Stuart O'Keefe (Gillingham) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Gillingham. Robbie McKenzie replaces Alexander MacDonald.
Post update
Goal! Lincoln City 0, Gillingham 3. Jordan Graham (Gillingham) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the top right corner.
Post update
Penalty conceded by Cohen Bramall (Lincoln City) after a foul in the penalty area.
Post update
Penalty Gillingham. Jordan Graham draws a foul in the penalty area.
Post update
Foul by Regan Poole (Lincoln City).
