A crisp, cold, clear evening greeted the Rovers when they arrived in Kent, south of London, to play Gillingham. The Rovers were unchanged again following their fine win at Swindon on Saturday. The only change came on the bench where Gordon Greer replaced Steve Roberts. The home team, who appointed a new manager, Mark Stimson, last week made two changes from the team that got a point at Swansea on Saturday. Barry Cogan and Chris Dickson came in for Dave Graham and Gary Mulligan, who both dropped to the bench. After a poor start to the season, the Gills have recently pulled themselves out of the bottom four and with the added impetus of a new manager to impress the Rovers will find themselves with a tough game on their hands. The Rovers defended the end where their supporters were sat.

The opening quarter of an hour was of a fairly even character as both teams sounded each other out. The Rovers won a couple of corners, with Stock shooting wide from the first one. Then following a free kick on the Rovers left, Mills put back to Gareth Roberts, who shot wide from outside of the penalty area. Hayter was then wide from an angle on the right from just inside the area. The home team's best chance came on 14 minutes when Facey broke through the Rovers back line but he sliced his shot wide of the far post. Two minutes later a good build-up by the Rovers ended with Price's stinging crack at goal being blocked and the Rovers claiming hand ball but the referee wasn't interested. Then in the 18th minute came the breakthrough - to Gillingham. DICKSON received the ball to the right of goal, turned past Lockwood and rifled the ball just inside the near post for the opening goal. The Rovers reply was for Hayter to get in a shot from an angle on the left that Royce, the keeper, blocked with his legs. Straight down to the other end and Cogan put wide from the edge of the area and minutes later the same player repeated his previous effort from a little further out. As the half hour came up Price had an effort from 25 yards saved and two minutes past that mark a good build-up by the Rovers gave Price a shot that was blocked, Wilson then gave the rebound to Hayter on the left, who, under pressure, put the ball wide of the far post. Then, in the 35th minute came drama. Dickson, for the home team, broke into the Rovers penalty area on the right, touched the ball past Sullivan and out before falling over the keeper. Penalty said the referee in front of the assembled Rovers fans. Facey stepped up and hit a tremendous drive that hit the face of the bar and bounced thirty yards back into play. The bar was still quivering minutes later as Dickson fired in from the home left and past the far post. The Rovers were playing some good football but Price skimmed the bar with a cracker from 16 yards and on the stroke of half-time a good link up by Hayter, Stock and Wellens on the Rovers left gave the latter a chance to curl a shot just the wrong side of the far post. Facey and Dickson, up front for the Gills, were giving the Rovers defence a hard time but apart from the one lapse for the goal the defence had stuck manfully to their task of keeping them out. A slice of luck in front of goal and the Rovers would have gone in at least on level terms.

The Rovers came out with every intention of getting some reward from the game. They won a corner that Guy took quickly to Stock, whose rifled shot was tipped over by Royce. The Rovers piled on the pressure, with one brief interlude on 57 minutes when the home team got a corner. On the hour Guy was stopped just yards from goal by a combined Gills defensive effort and Price, following up, had his drive blocked. Stock then took a free kick on the right, Lockwood headed in from close range only to see Royce brilliantly tip over the bar. Two minutes later and Stock had a shot from distance pushed out by the keeper and Hayter had his low drive kicked off the line by King. The pressure paid off after 63 minutes when Wellens was brought down in the penalty area by Cogan. HAYTER took the penalty and placed it low into the keeper's bottom left hand corner. Four minutes later and Price, on the right, put in a good low cross that Wellens shinned wide. With 20 minutes to go the home team sparked into life, with Brown scooping wide a cross from the left by Facey. Graham, on as a substitute for the Gills, made his first touch a cracking shot from 25 yards that Sullivan, flying to his left, tipped round the post. The home team's best spell of the second half was weathered and, with five minutes left Hayter got the ball back to Coppinger, who rifled in a terrific low drive from 25 yards that Royce got down well to save. Two minutes to go and Green, out on the right, put over a high cross to the far post but Roberts coming in from the left fired high over the bar. The Rovers attacked to the end and there was no doubt that they were the better team in the second half but could not find a winner. It says it all that Royce, the Gills keeper, was made the Man of the Match.

Teams - Gillingham - Simon Royce; Nicky Southall, Efe Sodje, Ian Cox, Simon King; Mark Bentley; Barry Cogan, Aaron Brown, Andrew Crofts; Delroy Facey, Chris Dickson
Subs used - Dave Graham for Cogan 75 mins;
Subs not used - Steve Lomas, Gary Mulligan, Sean Clohessy, , Derek Stillie (GK).
Cautions - Crofts, Cogan, Brown,

ROVERS - Neil Sullivan; James O'Connor, Matt Mills, Adam Lockwood, Gary Roberts; Lewis Guy, Richie Wellens, Brian Stock, Mark Wilson; James Hayter, Jason Price.
Subs used - Martin Woods for Wilson 80 mins; James Coppinger for Price 60 mins; Paul Green for Guy 87 mins;
Subs not used - Sean McDaid, Gordon Greer, James Coppinger.
Cautions - Price, Sullivan