Accrington Stanley 1 Gillingham 2: Conor Masterson and Macauley Bonne score in League 2 victory at the Wham Stadium

Macauley Bonne hit the winner for Gillingham as they enjoyed a comeback win at Accrington.

Gillingham lacked the end product in the opening half at the Wham Stadium and Alex Henderson headed the hosts in front five minutes after the restart before the Gills turned it around. Conor Masterson levelled from a corner before Bonne smashed in the second.

Victory made it three in a row for the Gills in League 2.

Tom Nichols and Oli Hawkins were picked as the front two for Gillingham for the first time by head coach Stephen Clemence.

Gillingham had won on their last four visits to Accrington and there was every chance they could have made it five against a home side with experienced players missing and fielding team with an average age of under 21.

Only goal difference separated the sides before the weekend match. Gills’ poor scoring record kept them behind their weekend hosts in the standings.

The Gills had plenty of the ball in the opening half with the likes of Hawkins looking to make his physical presence count. There were four corners inside the opening 20 minutes and plenty of balls into the box, but nothing to test inexperienced keeper Joe Walsh.

Former Gills junior Walsh palmed away a corner but apart from that he wasn’t troubled as the visiting frontline remained ineffective.

Gillingham had seen plenty of the ball in good areas around the Accrington box but couldn’t pick out the killer ball to make it count.

Accrington struggled for an opening of their own in the early stages but missed a glorious chance to take the lead. Ben Woods tried his luck from distance and when Jake Turner couldn’t hold onto the shot, Josh Woods’ follow-up lacked power and bounced straight to the grateful Gills keeper.

Tim Dieng and Hawkins met