by Luke Cawdell

Gillingham closed the gap in their hunt for a League 2 play-off place with victory over Macclesfield on Saturday.

Matt Fish gave the Gills the lead early in the second half and with five minutes left Chris Whelpdale's header made the points safe.

The Gills started the weekend seven points outside the top seven but they ended it just four adrift to keep their outside play-off hopes alive.

They almost got off to a perfect start but Whelpdale’s deflected shot bounced safe after hitting the post inside the first three minutes.

Despite that early chance, Andy Hessenthaler’s team struggled to get going in the opening half, in a fixture which they badly needed to win to keep alive faint hopes of making the play-offs.

Macclesfield, without a win all year, threatened on a number of occasions in the opening half with striker Matt Smith sending a couple of efforts narrowly wide.

The visitors lined up with a big strong team and the Gills were being asked plenty of questions in the air, as Macclesfield looked to pump the ball into the area whenever they got the chance.

It took the Gills past the half-hour mark to start making some progress at the other end and Whelpdale drew a save from keeper Richard O’Donnell after a low shot headed towards the bottom corner.

Danny Kedwell, who was back in the team at the expense of Jordan Obita, had a couple of efforts himself. His first went wide and then just before the break he rounded one defender but saw another block his shot on the line.

The Gills went into the break level but in need of making a better showing after the turnaround. It was a positive start to the second half for the Gills and moments after Jo Kuffour came close they took the lead.

Fish was the unlikely man to get the goal and it was a cool finish. Whelpdale was the man to create the goal as he crossed low from the right, after good work from Kuffour, for Fish to net his first goal for the club.

Fish had scored the own goal in midweek that saw Burton take maximum points but he netted at the right end this time around.

Macclesfield almost levelled immediately but Argentine keeper Paulo Gazzaniga reacted well to save Tony Diagne’s powerful header from a corner.

Visiting forward Smith wasn’t having the best of games and put another good chance over with 70 minutes gone after being picked out by Marcus Marshall.

Rowan Vine – on as a substitute for Jo Kuffour – tried his luck from distance with 15 minutes left but O’Donnell got behind the powerful shot and gathered at the second attempt.

With five minutes left, Whelpdale got on the end of Danny Spiller’s left-wing cross to calm any nerves at Priestfield. Spiller thought he had made it 3-0 but the linesman’s flag ruled his effort out.

Gillingham: Gazzaniga, Martin, Fish, Essam, Frampton, Payne, Jackman (Spiller 79mins), Montrose, Whelpdale, Kedwell, Kuffour (Vine 73mins). Subs not used: Obita, King, Miller.
Macclesfield: O’Donnell, Bateson (Marshall 64mins), Brown, Futcher, Chalmers (Draper 67mins), Mukendi (Bakare 67mins), Daniel, Mendy, Diagne, Hamshaw, Smith. Subs not used: Veiga, Aley.
Attendance: 4,562.

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Connor Essam brings the ball out of defence Picture: Barry Goodwin