Harrison Biggins and Tom Clarke fire Fleetwood to vital victory over Gillingham

Posted Sunday, December 12, 2021 by PA

Harrison Biggins and Tom Clarke scored as Fleetwood won 2-1 to inflict a sixth straight defeat on Gillingham.

The clash between two League One strugglers, played in continuous Lancashire rain, was far from pretty and it was fourth-bottom Fleetwood who came out on top against a Gills side a place below.

The first half had been low on thrills, other than a diving save by visiting keeper Aaron Chapman, who reacted well to deny Ged Garner.

At the other end, Alex Cairns had had even less to do, a routine save from Mustapha Carayol his main contribution.

But Biggins’ third goal in two games came in the 38th minute when he timed his run perfectly to break behind the Gills’ back-line and turn in Paddy Lane’s cross.

Fleetwood nearly added a second before the break but Callum Morton couldn’t turn in an off-target shot from left-back Danny Andrew.

Andrew almost caught out the stranded Chapman with a long-range effort a minute into the second half, the back-tracking Rhys Bennett rescuing his side.

Frustrated Gills manager Steve Evans was yellow-carded by Stephen Martin after an hour of haranguing the officials at every turn.

After Andrew hit a post, Evans would have been even more upset when Clarke scored Fleetwood’s second in the 65th minute, heading in from another Lane cross.

Gillingham’s Robbie McKenzie fired in a goal to set up a nervous final 15 minutes but the hosts held on for a vital victory.