Carlisle United 1 Gillingham 0: League 2 match report from Brunton Park; Jon Mellish scores the winner

It’s four games in League 2 without a goal now for Gillingham after losing Saturday’s game at Carlisle.

Jon Mellish claimed the winner for the Cumbrians early in the second half as Gillingham once again failed to find the net.

Gillingham had tightened up defensively heading into the match but goals had been in short supply. No goals in the last four in league and cup, with just five on-target efforts in those encounters, stats that the team were determined to improve on.

While Carlisle had the week off to prepare for the visit of Gillingham, Neil Harris’ men took League 1 Exeter to penalties in the EFL Cup and won through thanks to David Tutonda’s spot-kick winner. The defender kept his starting place, his first of the season in the league to displace Ryan Law.

Carlisle’s striker Kristian Dennis had scored in all of the team’s competitive games prior to the weekend but was kept in check early on, limited to a long-range shot over the bar and dispossessed by Tutonda when looking to burst into the box.

It was fellow Carlisle forward Omari Patrick that wasted their best opportunity, a tame header missing the target from Fin Back’s pinpoint cross.

Gillingham had produced some good build-up play at times but were thwarted early on, shots from Hakeeb Adelakun and Mikael Mandron blocked by the defenders, doing a good job of protecting the goal occupied bu former Gill Tomas Holy.

Mandron was ready to pull the trigger again, as Cheye Alexander drilled a low cross into the box, but a Carlisle defender beat him to the ball. Moments later Elkan Baggott’s shot on target - the first of the match - was held by the home keeper.

Gillingham had a couple more moments before the half was up, including a save from Holy off Tutonda’s shot,