Whelpdale wins it for Gills
Last Updated: January 1, 2013 7:17pm
Whelpdale: Match-winning strike
Chris Whelpdale's second-minute volley handed Gillingham a hard-fought 1-0 win at promotion rivals Southend on New Year's Day.
Whelpdale latched on to a deep free-kick from Joe Martin and, with Shrimpers goalkeeper Paul Smith rooted to his goal-line, he cushioned the ball home from close range.
The Gills came close to doubling their lead when a looping effort from Myles Weston was tipped to safety by Smith, who also did well to keep out a 12-yard shot from former United man Adam Barrett.
However, Southend improved in the second half and almost levelled in the 58th minute when a stunning 30-yard shot from Kevan Hurst was impressively tipped over the crossbar by Stuart Nelson.
The visitors had a huge let off a minute later when Barry Corr volleyed wide of an open goal from inside the six-yard box.
But, having weathered the storm, Gillingham almost added a second when Weston fired against the foot of the right post from 12 yards.
Matches
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npower League 2
Table
npower League 2
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gillingham | 46 | 83 |
| 2 | Rotherham United | 46 | 79 |
| 3 | Port Vale | 46 | 78 |
| 4 | Burton Albion | 46 | 76 |
| 5 | Cheltenham Town | 46 | 75 |
| 6 | Northampton Town | 46 | 73 |
| 7 | Bradford City | 46 | 69 |
| 8 | Chesterfield | 46 | 67 |
| 9 | Oxford United | 46 | 65 |
| 10 | Exeter City | 46 | 64 |
| 11 | Southend United | 46 | 61 |
| 12 | Rochdale | 46 | 61 |
| 13 | Fleetwood Town | 46 | 60 |
| 14 | Bristol Rovers | 46 | 60 |
| 15 | Wycombe Wanderers | 46 | 60 |
| 16 | Morecambe | 46 | 58 |
| 17 | York City | 46 | 55 |
| 18 | Accrington Stanley | 46 | 54 |
| 19 | Torquay United | 46 | 53 |
| 20 | AFC Wimbledon | 46 | 53 |
| 21 | Plymouth Argyle | 46 | 52 |
| 22 | Dagenham & Redbridge | 46 | 51 |
| 23 | Barnet | 46 | 51 |
| 24 | Aldershot Town | 46 | 48 |
