Gillingham pulled off an unexpected victory on Tuesday after a hard working performance at high-flying Peterborough.

Connor Ogilvie’s strike separated the sides at the interval and although Sammie Szmodics rattled the bar early in the second half for Peterborough, that’s as close as they got to scoring.

Gillingham went into the game with their play-off hopes seemingly blown but with a number of other teams chasing a top-six place having a bad evening, perhaps all is not lost. The Gills finished the night four points adrift.

Gillingham boss Steve Evans - up against his former club - had considered making changes after his team threw away a two-goal lead at Oxford on the Saturday. In the end the only change to his XI was enforced as a groin injury kept leading scorer Vadaine Oliver out and John Akinde replaced him.

The Gills were facing a daunting task against a side with automatic promotion within sight. Second-placed Peterborough boasted by far the best home record in League 1 but it was the Gills who took charge early on.

A 15th minute goal from Ogilivie was thoroughly deserved. The home side were unable to get the ball clear from a Ryan Jackson throw, Jordan Graham’s cross found Akinde and he in turn found Ogilvie on the edge of the box.

Peterborough came into it and looked lively going forward, wasting a good opportunity on the break when Siriki Dembele took too much time to get a shot away, eventually to be crowded out as Jack Tucker cleared.

Keeper Jack Bonham didn’t have a lot to do despite the pressure. Joe Ward bent a free-kick narrowly wide and Dembele dipped one over the bar. Szmodics also had an effort that struck Robbie Cundy.

Szmodics came a whisker away from an equaliser on 53 minutes when a dipping shot from distance crashed off the bar.

Olly Lee had fired in a low shot that keeper Josef Bursik dealt with comfortably while at the other end Peterborough’s leading scorer Clarke-Harris wasted a good chance as he turned Ward’s low cross over the bar.

Peterborough had much more of the ball, as expected, but were struggling to show their ruthless side against the hard working Gills.

The hosts had a number of corners that they were unable to convert as the Gills hung on for the win. Ethan Hamilton blasted a 95th minute shot wide, the best of the late chances for the home side.

Dominic Samuel almost added a last-gasp second, a stinging shot saved by Bursik.

Peterborough: Bursik, Butler, Ward, Thompson, Beevers (Burrows 78mins), Kent, Taylor, Brown (Hamilton 69mins), Szmodics, Dembele, Clarke-Harris. Subs not used: Gyollai, Eisa, Reed, Jones, Mason.

Gillingham: Bonham, Jackson, Ogilvie, Cundy, Tucker, O'Keefe, Dempsey, MacDonald (O’Connor 90mins), Graham (McKenzie 90mins), Lee (Samuel 81mins), Akinde. Subs not used: Bastien, Woods, Johnson, Sithole.

Referee: Sam Allison

Reaction: Gills boss delighted with a hard earned victory