Gillingham dropped into the League 1 relegation zone following an abject home defeat to Tranmere at Priestfield on Tuesday as the pressure mounted on boss Mark Stimson.

Gills’ scoreless run extended to 416 minutes as they lost to a team who had only won one away game this season and scored just seven goals on the road.

A chorus of boos cascaded from around Priestfield after Ian Thomas-Moore slid in at the far post to finish from a yard after a monumental goalmouth scramble on 67 minutes.

After Paul McClaren’s free-kick from the right was not cleared, Craig Curran hit the inside of the post and Gills keeper Alan Julian produced two fine blocks on the line before the ball was finally bundled into the net to send the 104 travelling fans wild.

Within seconds Stimson was the target of some choice chants from the Rainham End before replacing Luke Rooney with Dennis Oli – who had been waiting to enter the field when the goal was scored.

The boos grew to a crescendo less than a minute later when Stimson hauled-off Mark Bentley for Adam Miller.

Tranmere had grown in stature throughout then second half and first-half substitute Gareth Edds had tested Julian twice in three minutes shortly before the hour.

Firstly he drew a smart save from Julian with a turn on the swivel after the Gills failed to cut-out a cross from the left and moments later more defensive hesitancy saw Edds get above Josh Gowling at the far post but his point-blank header was tipped into the air before being scrambled away.

Dennis Oli had a chance to level in the final minute but after chesting down a ball from the right he miscued his attempt over the bar and in the third minute of stoppage time Josh Gowling blazed over from close range after the ball fell to him from Oli.

It summed up the Gills evening that two of their best chances fell to left-back Chris Palmer.

He stung Luke Daniels’ palms with a first-half drive and fired inches wide of the bottom right corner on 72 minutes.

The closest the Gills came was Luke Rooney rattling the bar from the edge of the box after Andy Barcham had turned Rovers right-back Shaleum Logan inside-out down the left and fizzed a low ball across the face of goal.

Gills: Julian, Fuller, Gowling, Dennehy, Palmer, Bentley (Miller 70mins), Weston (Walker 83mins), Jackman, Barcham, Rooney (Oli 67mins), Jackson. Subs not used: Royce, Maher, Wynter, Payne.