Gillingham 2 Barnsley 1
The Reds, looking to extend their winning run to eight matches, couldn’t quite carve out enough clear-cut chances throughout the 90 minutes.
There were relatively few chances during a first period in which both sides pretty much cancelled one another out.
However, it was the Reds who went in at the break behind.
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Hide AdThe Gills broke the deadlock in the 25th minute, with Dominic Samuel pouncing on a poor pass from James Bree before charging clear and slotting comfortably past Adam Davies.
Earlier Marley Watkins went close for the Reds, seeing a smart shot from an acute angle superbly blocked by ‘keeper Stuart Nelson.
After the goal, Josh Brownhill responded by curling a free-kick inches wide of the post, while Sam Winnall’s overhead kick also missed the target.
Watkins saw a chipped effort saved by Nelson seconds before the break.
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Hide AdBoth sides missed decent chances early in the second period.
Kevin Long saw a header blocked for the Reds, while the Gills hit back with Samuel being denied by a fine Davies stop.
Two goals inside a minute just past the hour mark lit up the game.
The Reds equalised superbly with Conor Hourihane lashing a crisp half-volley into the roof of the net, before the Gills re-took the lead almost immediately.
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Hide AdDonnelly cracked in a great shot which Davies could only parry into the path of Bradley Dack, who tapped home to make it 2-1.
Hourihane and subs Josh Scowen and Ashley Fletcher both went close in the latter stage, but the Reds couldn’t find a leveller.
Gillingham (4-3-1-2): Nelson; Osadebe, Egan, Ehmer, Garmston; A Morris, Wright, Loft; Dack; Samuel, Donnelly. Subs: G Morris, Chicksen, Hessenthaler, McGlashan, List, Williams, Norris.
Barnsley (4-4-2): Davies; Bree, Long, Mawson, White; Isgrove, Brownhill, Hourihane, Hammill; Winnall, Watkins.Subs: Townsend, Roberts, Scowen, Fletcher, Khan, G Williams, Tuton.
Referee: Darren Bond (Lancashire).