Doncaster Rovers 1 Gillingham 2

GILLINGHAM recorded their second three points of the season with a morale-boosting 2-1 victory at Doncaster Rovers on Saturday.

The Gills got off to a dream start when Andrew Crofts was on hand to head home on nine minutes after fine interplay between Matt Jarvis and Brent Sancho.

But there was high drama just after the half hour mark when Danny Jackman received his marching orders after being given his second yellow card for a deliberate handball.

Seconds earlier, Doncaster's Sean Thornton produced a miss-of-the-season contender when he somehow failed to find the net with the goal at his mercy.

But the 10-men of Gillingham doubled their advantage from the penalty spot six minutes before the break.

Jarvis exposed the home defence with his pace and skilfully drew the foul from Stephen Roberts. Skipper Mike Flynn smashed home the spot-kick off the underside of the crossbar.

And Flynn could have made it 3-0 on the hour when he did brilliantly to get on the end of Jarvis' cross but his effort was deflected just wide.

Doncaster set up a tense finish when substitute Sean Clohessy was unlucky to turn the ball past his own goalkeeper with 13 mintes to play but the Gills were able to hold out for a precious away win.

There were early chances to break the deadlock for both sides before Crofts' opener.

Sancho's poor clearance after just two minutes gave Doncaster an early sight of goal but Paul Heffernan's shot from the edge of the box flew just over.

Crofts has Gillingham's first effort after five minutes but home keeper Adam Blayney did well to black his shot.

Guylain Ndumbu-Nsungu should have scored his first goal for Gillingham on 32 minutes but he shot wide after doing all the hard work.

Debutant keeper Scott Flinders produced a fine save to preserve the visitors' 2-0 lead just before the break when he got down well to block Gareth Roberts' header.

Gillingham: Flinders, Johnson, Cox, Sancho (Clohessy -ht), Jupp, Jackman, Flynn, Crofts, Bentley (Pouton 81), Jarvis, Ndumbu-Nsungu (Easton 34).
Subs Not Used: McDonald, Mulligan.