Gillingham competed well against title-chasing Lincoln City but were unable to make it count.

Conor McGrandles put the visitors infront with a 14th minute strike and Lincoln doubled their advantage when Jorge Grant converted from the penalty spot. Tom Hopper struck a third as the visitors were more ruthless where it mattered.

Gillingham manager Steve Evans kept faith with the same side which came away from Sunderland with a point in their previous match.

Evans’ men made a promising start against a Lincoln side who knew a positive result would take them back top of League 1. They took the lead but not before Alex Palmer had saved from Robbie Cundy and Alex MacDonald.

It took a bit of quality to open the Gills up as Lincoln attacked down the left flank. A backheel from Grant found Morgan Rogers and his cross ended with a goal for McGrandles after Hopper's initial effort was blocked.

Gillingham responded well and by the break the shot count was 7-2 in their favour, although Palmer hadn’t been overly troubled. Olly Lee headed wide from a Jordan Graham free-kick and it took a super block from Joe Walsh to prevent an equaliser. Graham had exchanged passes with Kyle Dempsey before looking to find the top corner.

Before the break Oliver headed at the keeper, Graham sent a free-kick up and over the wall but wide of the mark, while Dempsey also fired wide.

Gillingham had picked up a couple of bookings, the second for Oliver that had Lee Hendrie in the Sky Sports commentary box calling for a red card. Former Gills striker Adebayo Akinfenwa put him right, saying he didn’t even think the challenge on Walsh was worthy of a free-kick.

Palmer held a shot from Graham early in the second half while Grant went wide for The Imps.

Lincoln rattled the Gillingham crossbar with a thumping effort from Brennan Johnson and within moments the same player was adjudged to have been fouled in the box by Ryan Jackson. Replays clearly showed there was no contact. Referee Samuel Barrott, who was well positioned, pointed to the spot and Grant converted with just under an hour gone.

The visitors had a third goal after 64 minutes. Rogers showed good footwork as he ran at goal and when Bonham saved, the ball fell kindly for Hopper and he had a simple finish from close range.

Former Lincoln man John Akinde went close to getting a goal back, with a header against the crossbar just moments after being introduced.

Hopper dragged a shot wide for the visitors after being played in by Rogers. Gillingham felt the visitors were offside and manager Evans picked up his fifth caution of the season for his protests.

Gillingham felt they should have had a penalty late on, when Akinde went down in the box, but nothing was given on a frustrating night for the home side. Grant had the ball in the net for Lincoln deep into stoppage-time but it was ruled out for offside.

Gillingham: Bonham, Jackson, Tucker, Cundy, Ogilvie, Dempsey (O'Keefe 90mins), Slattery (Morton 90mins), MacDonald (O’Connor 67mins), Lee (Akinde 67mins), Graham, Oliver. Subs not used: Bastien, McKenzie, Johnson.

Lincoln: Palmer, Eyoma (Poole 74mins), Jackson, Walsh, Edun, Bridcutt, McGrandles, Grant, Johnson (Anderson 78mins), Hopper, Rogers. Subs not used: Long, Montsma, Jones, Scully, Bramall.

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