Gillingham moved another step closer to mathematical safety in League 2 thanks to a fourth successive home win.

Tom Nichols volleyed Gillingham ahead at the end of the first half and Doncaster did little to trouble the home side in the second. Victory on Good Friday moved the Gills to 47 points with an eighth home win since the start of 2023.

The Gills are nine points clear of the bottom two with six games remaining.

Oli Hawkins returned to the Gillingham starting line-up at the expense of Tristan Abrahams.

The Gills were poor in the first half the week before at Barrow but they got off to a flyer against a Doncaster side who were in poor form, suffering with injuries and holding a mid-table spot in the table, going nowhere this term.

With seven wins from eight in their previous home wins since the turn of the year, the Gills were full of confidence and keen to put that defeat at Barrow behind them.

Nichols should have done better with a chance in the second minute of the match, unmarked at a corner. His header went over the bar but he would be on the scoresheet before the half-time whistle came.

The visiting keeper had to be alert to beat Alex MacDonald to the ball from Luke Molyneux’s miss-kick while Aiden O’Brien shot wide and Hawkins also went close during a fine first 15 minutes for the Gills, a display that just lacked a goal.

That failure to make their dominance count could have been costly as Doncaster gradually grew into the game. Ben Close had a low shot turned wide by keeper Glenn Morris and later on Ben Nelson’s headed effort came off the crossbar.

A couple of injury breaks slowed down the tempo of the game and a facial blow for Conor Masterson would cost him his place in the game, substitute late in the half for Will Wright.

Gillingham’s opener came on 44 minutes when a throw was flicked on by Hawkins and Nichols made no mistake when well positioned again, expertly guiding the ball home past keeper Jonathan Mitchell with a left-footed volley. It was Nichols’ fifth goal for Gills and ninth of the season.

The Gills looked pretty comfortable with a one-goal lead in the second half with Doncaster looking unlikely to get back into it.

Rovers did go close with 20 minutes left, through Ben Close, but Morris made no mistake as he scooped up the low shot.

Nichols had gone close for Gills again and George Lapslie made the visiting keeper work moments after he was introduced on 77 minutes.

Molyneux blasted over from distance for Rovers with 10 minutes left and substitute Kieran Agard was off target too.

Max Ehmer nodded wide from a corner late on as Gills went looking for a second. In stoppage-time Kyle Hurst had a sniff for Doncaster but shot wide.

Gillingham: Morris, Alexander, McKenzie, Ehmer, Masterson (Wright 45mins), Williams, Dieng, MacDonald (Jefferies 77mins), O’Brien (Lapslie 77mins), Nichols (Page 90mins), Hawkins (Abrahams 90mins). Subs not used: Holtam, Coleman.

Doncaster: Mitchell, Close, Goodman (Agard 66mins), Molyneux, Long, Westbrooke (Hurst 90mins), Barlow, Nelson, Faulkner, Seaman (Brown 66mins), Rowe (Ravenhill 66mins). Subs not used: Bottomley, Miller, Degruchy.

Attendance: 6,842 (192 away)

Referee: Dean Whitestone