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Oldham Athletic 1 Gillingham 0
By David Pritchard
Gillingham slipped into League One’s relegation zone following a potentially damaging defeat to fellow strugglers Oldham Athletic in a tense game at Boundary Park.
Lewis Guy’s second half strike proved the difference in a game low on quality. Gillingham’s best chances came in the first half and despite a strong finish where they bombarded the Oldham penalty area, they could not find an equaliser.
Chris Dickson came in for the suspended Dennis Oli in Gillingham’s only change to the starting line-up from the 2-2 draw against MK Dons a week ago. Skipper Barry Fuller was included in the squad for the first time since breaking his arm in February, but was named among the substitutes.
Following surprise Good Friday wins for Exeter and Tranmere, both the Gills and Oldham began the day just a point above the bottom four. They both showed signs of tension in possession during a scrappy first half not helped by a poor surface.
After a slow start the visitors enjoyed a decent spell around the 15-minute mark. A clever corner routine presented an opportunity for Adam Miller, but Latics skipper Sean Gregan made a superb block to deny the midfielder six yards out. Oldham launched an immediate counter-attack and Gills goalkeeper Alan Julian needed to be alert to snuff out a good chance for Guy.
At the other end the best passing move of the half saw Miller lay off to Barcham, whose curled effort from the edge of the box was straight at Dean Brill. The Oldham stopper made another smart save to hold a powerful effort from Rene Howe shortly afterwards.
Both defences looked vulnerable but neither side were able to take advantage before the break. Guy had the ball in the net on 30 minutes, but it was ruled out for offside.
The visitors had the first clear opening of the second half when Gregan missed Curtis Weston’s long clearance. It set Dickson away, but instead of taking the ball towards goal the striker lashed wildly at the ball from 25 yards. The miss was the final straw for Gills boss Mark Stimson, who hauled off the ineffective Dickson shortly afterwards.
Oldham had made a change of their own at half-time and they looked sharper on the ball after the restart. They made the breakthrough just before the hour mark when Dale Stephens latched on to a loose ball in midfield and found Guy, who ghosted in between the Gills centre-backs to slot past an exposed Julian.
The goal spurred the hosts on and they had several efforts which flew just wide in a 10 minute spell where the Gills just about hung on.
Nerves soon set in among the home fans as the visitors tried to work their way back into the game. Barcham, with two goals in his last two games, looked the most likely to make something happen. The winger almost got in after a clever flick from Howe, but the ball just would not come down in time, allowing the Oldham defence to scramble it clear.
Gillingham were camped in the Oldham half for much of the last 10 minutes, but despite a succession of crosses and long throws they could not force a clear-cut chance. Their only effort came with a speculative volley from Stuart Lewis which was well held by Brill.
The Gills have little time to regroup. They host another side in the relegation battle when Southend United visit Priestfield on Monday.
Attendance: 3,486 (263 away)
Oldham (4-4-2): Brill, Lee, Hazell, Gregan, Black, Millar (Marrow 86), Worthington (Whitaker 46), Stephens, Taylor, Guy, Abbott (Eaves 80)
Subs: Aljofree, Brooke, Ollerenshaw, Colbeck
Gillingham (4-4-2): Julian, Lewis, Richards, Dennehy, Nutter, Miller, Weston, Jackman, Barcham, Howe, Dickson (Walker 58)
Subs: Royce, Fuller, Maher, Bentley, Gowling, Payne
POSTED: 03/04/2010 14:28:18