Dom Jefferies and debutant Tom Nichols scored as Gillingham beat Hartlepool in a battle of League Two at Priestfield.
The hosts’ starting line-up featured all four of their January arrivals, including Nichols and midfielder Timothee Dieng, who almost combined for the opener inside five minutes.
Josh Umerah almost put the visitors ahead against a run of play approaching the half-hour mark with a sharp strike that Glenn Morris stopped.
Nichols’ first strike came five minutes before the break when he got the final touch from Alex MacDonald’s free-kick to deflect the ball past goalkeeper Ben Killip.
Within 60 seconds of Umerah’s equalizer being ruled out for offside, midfielder Jefferies found the top corner to double his side’s lead in the 59th minute.
Although they remain bottom of the division, Gillingham’s win – their first in 13 league games – moves them to two points off Hartlepool and three off Rochdale in 22nd.
Match report provided by PA Media.
They set up
Gillingham
Forming 4-1-2-1-2
- 1Morris
- 14McKenzie
- 4Wright
- 5Ehmer
- 3Tutonda
- 6Williams
- 38DiengBooked in 72 minutes
- 16JefferiesReplaced byAlexanderon 87′minute
- 7MacDonaldReplaced byAdelakunon 80′minute
- 28Hawkins
- 20NicholsReplaced byCapon 79′minute
Substitutions
- 2Alexander
- 8O’Keefe
- 21Adelakun
- 23Baggott
- 24Cap
- 25Turner
- 29God
Hartlepool
Forming 4-3-3
- 1Killip
- 26TumiltyBooked in 38 minutesReplaced bySheltonon 45′minute
- 23Menayese
- 3Ferguson
- 37Dodds
- 16DolanBooked in 19 min
- 20Sylla
- 8Featherstone
- 12GrayReplaced byMcDonald’son 81′minute
- 9Umerah
- 19HamiltonReplaced byhastilyon 45′minute
Substitutions
- 4Niang
- 6Shelton
- 7hastily
- 11McDonald’s
- 13boys
- 28Missilou
- Referee:
- Robert Lewis
- Attendance:
- 2,003
Live text
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Full time, Gillingham 2, Hartlepool United 0.
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End of second half, Gillingham 2, Hartlepool United 0.
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Handball by Mark Shelton (Hartlepool United).
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Offside, Gillingham. Glenn Morris tries to pass, but Scott Kashket is tackled in the backfield.
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Replacement, Gillingham. Cheye Alexander replaces Dom Jefferies.
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Attempt missed. Josh Umerah (Hartlepool United) right footed shot from the center of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by David Ferguson with a header.
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Attempt saved. David Ferguson (Hartlepool United) header from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Mohamad Sylla with a cross.
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Substitution, Hartlepool United. Wesley McDonald replaces Joe Gray.
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Replacement, Gillingham. Hakeeb Adelakun replaces Alexander MacDonald.
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Replacement, Gillingham. Scott Kashket replaces Tom Nichols.
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Offside, Gillingham. Oliver Hawkins tries to pass, but Dom Jefferies is tackled in the backfield.
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Foul by Mark Shelton (Hartlepool United).
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Timothee Dieng (Gillingham) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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The delay is over. They are ready to continue.
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Timothee Dieng (Gillingham) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Delay in match (Hartlepool United).
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Josh Umerah (Hartlepool United) hits the right post with a header from the center of the box. Assisted David Ferguson with a cross.
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Attempt missed. Tom Nichols (Gillingham) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right.
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Goal! Gillingham 2, Hartlepool United 0. Dom Jefferies (Gillingham) right footed shot from the left side of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Tom Nichols.
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Offside, Hartlepool United. Mark Shelton tries to cross, but Josh Umerah is tackled in the backfield.