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Match Reports

REPORT: Stanley 1 Gillingham 2

Henderson scores again but Reds suffer defeat

13 January 2024

Match Reports

REPORT: Stanley 1 Gillingham 2

Henderson scores again but Reds suffer defeat

13 January 2024

Accrington Stanley fan Alex Henderson said he wanted to score at the Farleys Solicitors Clayton End and he did just that against Gillingham but the Reds suffered a defeat.

The teenager scored his first senior goal against Bolton in the BSM Trophy on Wednesday and he headed home the opener against fellow Play-Off contenders Gills in his first League Two start.

However, despite Stanley hitting the post, Gillingham responded to seal the three points at the Wham Stadium.

Stanley made one change to the side who lost to Wanderers midweek with Ben Woods replacing Seamus Conneely.

The first chance fell to Stanley on 25 minutes when Ben Woods tried his luck from 22 yards with Jake Turner pushing it away and Josh Woods firing the loose ball straight at the Gills keeper.

There was little goalmouth action, with neither keeper tested, until the 42nd minute when Jack Nolan’s free kick was collected by Turner.

Nolan had another half-chance straight at Turner before the end of a largely uneventful first half with Stanley keeper Joe Walsh not having a save to make.

However it all changed in the 50th minute when a Nolan free kick was perfect for the stooping Henderson and his header found the back of the net for his second goal in two games.

Stanley then went on the attack with a Josh Woods header across the face of goal just needing a touch.

The Gills equalised against the run of play on 62 minutes when former Reds player Connor Mahoney’s corner was headed back into the danger area and Conor Masterson headed home at the near post.

Gillingham then pressed with George Lapslie’s shot cleared off the line by Brad Hills and Tom Nichols blasting over.

Skipper Joe Pritchard raced into the area but had a goalbound strike blocked as the game opened up after a cagey first half.

Stanley put a number of dangerous corners into the box and Stanley were so unlucky when Pritchard's corner went straight across the face of goal and hit the inside of the post and somehow bounced out.

The Gills scored the winner on 75 minutes when Mahoney’s ball into the area found Nichols and the ball bounced to substitute Macauley Bonne who rifled the ball home.

 

Stanley: Walsh, Shipley, Gubbins (Pickles), Hills, O’Brien, Martin, B Woods, Pritchard, Nolan, Henderson, J Woods

Subs: McIntyre, Mellor, Quirk,  Adekoya, Trickett, Conneely

Yellow: Gubbins, Shipley

Crowd: 2383 (299 Gills)


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