Barrow 3 Gillingham 0: League 2 match report from The SO Legal Stadium, Holker Street

Gillingham slipped further down the League 2 table after another disappointing performance.

The Gills had a decent penalty appeal turned down during what was a drab first half at Barrow, in a game between two struggling teams. The home side found the moments of quality to win it as Kian Spence struck twice after the break and Tyler Smith scored in injury-time against the toothless visitors.

Gillingham didn’t offer enough going forward again, and are now nine games without a win in the league, with manager John Coleman still seeking his first win since taking charge.

New signing Andy Smith - on loan from Hull City - made his debut in the starting XI as one of two changes to the team which kicked off the week before. He surprisingly started the game at right-back.

Bradley Dack got the start he craved - speaking in the week about the need to get a run in the team to find his best form. It was a frustrating afternoon for him and the team.

Leading scorer Jayden Clarke had announced on social media the night before the game that he wouldn’t be involved - the seven-goal forward left out by manager Coleman.

It was Coleman’s fifth game in charge, with two points picked up on the road prior to his team’s game at Barrow - a side who like the Gills were battling at the top of the table in the opening weeks of the season.

Different managers were involved back then. Mark Bonner’s men beat Stephen Clemence’s side 2-0 to go top at the end of September. It’s been a tale of woes since. Saturday’s game was 18th vs 19th, with promotion hopes a distant dream.

The first half at Holker Street wasn’t one that would last long in the memory but the Gills had good reason to claim they should have had a penalty.

Having seen Barrow dominate the