Gillingham lost to fellow strugglers Fleetwood on Saturday as their winless run was extended to eight games in League 1.

Harrison Biggins put Fleetwood ahead from an opening half of few chances. Moments after a big penalty appeal from the Gills was waved away the hosts hit a second through Tom Clarke. Robbie McKenzie halved the deficit with 15 minutes left but Fleetwood hung on for the 2-1 win. It’s now five straight league defeats for the Gills.

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Gillingham boss Steve Evans was able to include several players back in the team following injuries, meaning just the six pros missing - an improvement on recent weeks.

First-choice keeper Jamie Cumming was back from Covid but hadn’t trained and his parent club Chelsea asked that he didn’t start the weekend game, meaning Aaron Chapman remained between the sticks.

The Gills were looking to bounce back from a heavy midweek defeat at Rotherham and end a run of seven league games without a win. Both clubs started the weekend inside the bottom four.

Chapman was forced into an early save from Ged Garner but neither keeper had a great deal to do in the opening half.

Mustapha Carayol looked lively out wide for Gills early on and had their only on-target shot of the half, which was saved routinely by Alex Cairns. Another attempt from the winger was blocked.

Fleetwood had more of the ball and more attempts at goal. The home side took a 38th minute lead through Biggins, gambling on a ball in from the flank that he slid onto after getting free of the Gills defence.

They might have had another moments later when striker Callum Morton stuck out a foot to get a touch on Andrew’s low shot. A little more contact and the ball may well have crept in.

Fleetwood’s Paddy Lane had a couple of opportunities early in the second half, one that was saved by Chapman and another fired wide from an angle.

Danny Lloyd fired wide for the Gills and Dan Phillips had another effort from outside the box, that at least made the keeper work.

Gillingham had a big appeal for a penalty just before the hour when Olly Lee went down under pressure as he attempted to get on the end of Robbie McKenzie’s throw. Referee Stephen Martin hadn’t given the Gills much prior to that and play continued.

Gills boss Evans was cautioned as he protested over another incident moments later that went Fleetwood’s way.

At the other end Andrew smacked a shot against the upright and soon after they got a second.

With 65 minutes gone Johnston played a corner short to Lane and from his ball into the box Clarke powered a header home.

Both Morton and Garner shot wide for Fleetwood as they looked for a third but it was the Gills who struck next, McKenzie finding the bottom corner with a sweet strike from the edge of the box after Carayol played the ball out to him.

Gillingham pressed for an equaliser, with Gerald Sithole joining the action late on. Lee had a shot blocked but Fleetwood took the points.

Fleetwood: Cairns, Andrew, McLaughlin, Clarke, Morton (Johnson 70mins), Garner (Clark 90mins), Matete, Morris (Edmondson 77mins), Biggins, Lane, Johnston. Subs not used: Crellin, Conn-Clarke, Boyle, Hayles.

Gillingham: Chapman, Lintott, McKenzie, Tucker, Bennett, O’Keefe, Phillips (Tutonda 77mins), Lloyd (Sithole 87mins), Lee, Carayol, Akinde. Subs not used: Cumming, Reeves, Akehurst.

Referee: Stephen Martin

Attendance: 2,313.