Delighted Gillingham boss Mark Bonner saluted his table-topping side as they clung on to beat Chesterfield with a 1-0 League Two win at Priestfield Stadium.
A precise headed effort from Robbie McKenzie was enough to separate the teams in all-action encounter which saw both sides finish the game with 10 men.
Gills skipper Max Ehmer was dismissed on the hour for a second bookable offence, while Chesterfield defender Chey Dunkley was also sent off himself for a second bookable offence in the dying stages, but the visitors could not find an equaliser.
“It’s a brilliant win for us,” praised Bonner, whose in-form side have now won three and drawn one of their opening four league fixtures of the new season.
“It’s a massive result. To take 10 points from the first four games and three clean sheets on the bounce with the circumstances, it shows huge character.
“They’re a good side. You could see that we did things a bit differently. In the first half, I thought that we had some really good bits.
“We were more comfortable in certain moments with the ball. High pressure that turned the ball over well.
“We had a horrible start. The first few minutes, we were honking, then after that, we got going a little bit.
“We scored the goal, a superb goal. Deren (Ibrahim) and Pete (Gill) work on those things all the time with set plays, but the execution from Jack (Nolan) and Robbie (McKenzie) and everybody else was very good.”
Chesterfield boss Paul Cook was left frustrated his side failed to take their chances when they had a one-man advantage in the second half.
“Gillingham started the game very aggressively, which we expected,” said Cook.
“They come onto us like you’d expect. They got the goal, which was totally against the run of play at that moment, which is football.
“We played ever so well at times and the goal we created just after half-time was top class. It was a really good goal.
“Unfortunately, it was offside and my only disappointment, as I said to them in there, was that we brought chaos to the game at the end.
“You have got to give credit to Gillingham, great credit to Gillingham, by the way. There was a great atmosphere in the stadium from both sets of fans.
“We should have finished the game totally dominant in their half rather than reds, yellows and free-kicks.
“When you hit the woodwork like we did today and you have the one or two opportunities that you had in the game – I don’t think Gillingham did that.
“They had one or two, don’t get me wrong, but we’re really disappointed that we haven’t at least taken a point because a point is the least we deserve.”
[(Manchester City F.C.) Strength]: 1. Manchester City F.C. started with a 4-0 away win over Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. in the first game of the new season. New signings Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki both made their debuts and scored, while Erling Haaland scored a brace, showcasing his excellent form. Returning to the Etihad Stadium for this round, they face old rivals Tottenham Hotspur F.C....
[(Mallorca) Strength]: 1. Mallorca made a poor start in the new season. They are motivated to bounce back with a win as they continue to play at home this time.[(Mallorca) Weakness]: 1. Manu Morlanes and Vedat Muriqi were sent off by red cards respectively in the last game, thus being suspended.2. Mallorca lost to the defending champions FC Barcelona 0-3 at home in the last league game.3. Mallorca...
[(Bayer 04 Leverkusen) Strength]: 1. Bayer 04 Leverkusen finished second in the Bundesliga standings last season with a record of 19 wins, 12 draws and 3 losses. The team scored 72 goals and conceded 43 in 34 games. Unfortunately, they failed to defend their league title. As they make their season debut at home in this game, the team are full of determination to perform well.2. Bayer 04 Leverkusen...
[(Arsenal) Strength]: 1. Arsenal secured a 1-0 away victory over Manchester United in their opening Premier League game, getting their season off to a winning start. As last season's Premier League runners-up, the team's goal for the new season is to remain in the title race, so every win is crucial. Hosting this game, they hope to continue their winning momentum and consolidate their position in ...
[(SC Freiburg) Strength]: 1. SC Freiburg are undoubtedly motivated to start the new season with a win in this home game.2. SC Freiburg's head coach Julian Schuster was elected Germany's Coach of the Year 2025. Kicker revealed the voting details, with Julian Schuster receiving 97 votes to claim the top spot, followed by Horst Steffen and Hansi Flick in second and third place respectively.3. During ...
[(Levante) Strength]: 1. Levante full-back Jeremy Toljan scored a goal in the last league game, once helping the team tie the game.2. Levante conceded 4 goals in the last 5 games and kept 3 clean sheets, revealing commendable defense.3. Levante received 13 wins, 7 draws, and 1 loss in 21 home games of the Segunda Division last season, with a high win rate of 62%, indicating reliable home strength....
[(Yunnan Yukun) Strength]: 1. Yunnan Yukun have been strong in offense at home, scoring a total of 14 goals in their last 5 home games. Their scoring ability should not be underestimated.2. Yunnan Yukun have achieved 7 wins, 2 draws and 1 loss in their last 10 home games, with a win rate of 70%. The team have been strong at home.3. Yunnan Yukun won all of their last 7 home games in AH.[(Yunnan Yuk...
[(Club Tijuana) Strength]: 1. Club Tijuana are currently ranked 7th in the Liga MX standings with 8 points. Hosting this match against C.D. Guadalajara, who have been in poor form recently, the team have a clear intention to fight. They hope to take advantage of their home ground to continue their winning momentum and further consolidate and improve their league ranking.2. Club Tijuana defeated C....
[(Brentford) Strength]: 1. Brentford's new manager, Keith Andrews, has officially taken over the team from the former manager. This match will be his first Premier League home game in charge, and the new manager is determined to lead the team to a victorious start at home.2. Brentford have shown a stable performance in attack. The team have scored a total of 5 goals in the last 4 matches, and have...
[(Cerezo Osaka) Strength]: 1. Cerezo Osaka recorded 8 wins and 1 loss in the last 9 home games, showing strong home performances. They won 3-1 over Albirex Niigata in the last home game.[(Cerezo Osaka) Weakness]: 1. Cerezo Osaka are 9th in the league table. Facing 2nd-placed Vissel Kobe, they find it hard to win this game, indicating doubtful motivation.2. Cerezo Osaka forward Rafael Ratao will mi...
- 1 Nantes vs PSG Prediction for 18 August 2025 - Football
- 2 TIPS - Cerezo Osaka VS Vissel Kobe
- 3 BVB, Monaco and Ajax go for unwanted West Ham midfielder Alvarez
- 4 ngland cricket legend’s granddaughter stuns in bikini
- 5 Lamela explains retirement decision: It started 11 years ago...
- 6 Estevao Willian set for 'key' Chelsea role after debut vs Palace
- 7 TIPS - Gwangju FC VS Daejeon Hana Citizen
- 8 Sevilla Set Price for Man United Target as Club Seek Baleba Alternatives
- 9 Man United Make Goalkeeper Decision Amid Onana and Bayindir Uncertainty
- 10 Daily Laugh - Sunderland top of the table