Notts County 1 Gillingham 3: League 2 match report from Meadow Lane - Oli Hawkins, Max Clark and Conor Masterson score for Gills after Dan Crowley’s opener for Magpies

Gillingham came from a goal down to beat Notts County and leapfrog them into the League 2 play-off positions.

Goals from Oli Hawkins and Max Clark gave Gillingham a 2-1 half-time lead at Meadow Lane after Dan Crowley’s opener for Notts. Conor Masterson headed in a third for the Gills after the break and only the woodwork denied Tim Dieng late on.

County’s goal tally pre-match had dwarfed that of the Gills - 61 to 26 - but it was the visitors who were the ruthless finishers on the night.

The victory put the Gills into the top seven at Notts County’s expense ahead of the rest of the division playing tomorrow (Saturday).

Following a lacklustre home draw last time out, Gills’ head coach brought Jonny Williams back in, while Clark took over from Scott Malone as left wing-back. Tim Dieng also started as Connor Mahoney and George Lapslie were dropped to the substitutes’ bench.

Gillingham had to deal with a Notts team playing a possession-based style, boasting the highest figures with the ball in the division, the highest amount of short passes and the least amount of long ones.

It’s in defence that Notts have struggled this season and the hosts didn’t disappoint as the Gills exploited those gaps, scoring twice in the league during an opening half for the first time in five months. It was the first time in 12 that they had scored even one.

Notts had taken the lead and enjoyed 70% possession during the first half but the Gills led at the break.

Crowley put County ahead on 13 minutes with a strike beyond Jake Turner into the bottom corner, receiving the ball from Jodi Jones who had been gifted possession by Tim Dieng.

It was a goal that came seconds after the Gills wasted a golden chance of their own. Remeao Hutton had raced