Gillingham 2-0 Hartlepool United: Sorry Pools beaten in League Two basement battle

Big games test character and there is no doubting this was a big game at the bottom of the Football League but, where Gillingham thrived under the pressure, Hartlepool shrunk.

Tom Nichols marked his anticipated Gills debut with a goal before Dom Jefferies doubled the lead in the second half as the home side scored more than once for the first time in the league all season.

As a matter of fact, Gillingham arrived with just two wins and seven goals to their name this season but were able to enjoy an unfamiliar comfortable afternoon at the Priestfield.

There was no way to dress Hartlepool’s trip to Kent up other than it being a huge fixture in the context of what may be to come over the second half of the season.

With Rochdale’s surprise win over Bradford City in midweek, Curle’s side slipped back into the unwanted territory of the bottom two ahead of their meeting with the league’s bottom side.

A win for Pools would see them stretch their advantage over Neil Harris’ side to eight points whereas a victory for a seemingly rejuvenated Gills, following their recent takeover and influx of January signings, would see them claw back the deficit to just two points.

Curle made three changes to the side who went out of the FA Cup on a whim to Stoke City with Euan Murray, Callum Cooke and Mark Shelton all dropping out of the side with new signings Dan Dodds and Matt Dolan coming in alongside Joe Grey.

Dolan was making his third debut for Hartlepool following two previous loan spells - the last time he wore a Hartlepool shirt coming in December 2014, while Dodds was thrown straight into the mix after joining on a permanent deal from neighbours Middlesbrough.

Shelton dropped to the bench with Cooke and Murray both not travelling with the squad - Cooke believed to have suffered an injury while Murray’s exclusion could raise questions over his future at the Suit Direct Stadium.

But despite being knocked out of the FA Cup a week ago, this fixture at the Priestfield felt more like a cup tie given the significance of its outcome in the league table.

And it’s a fixture which appeared more challenging than it would have a month ago prior to the Gills’ takeover and recent additions - four of which started including Nichols, Timothee Dieng and Ollie Hawkins while the club also welcomed George Lapslie from Mansfield Town ahead of kick-off.

For the Gills it felt like a case of their season starting here. For Pools it was a case of ensuring they could halt them from the off.

But the off-field momentum translated onto the field as the home dictated things in the first half with Nichols and Hawkins particularly impressive.

Dodds, featuring at centre-back, escaped in the opening five minutes when Jefferies’ cross was missed but Shaun Williams was unable to convert.

Defender Max Ehmer stayed forward from a corner and was almost rewarded with Jack Hamilton’s failed clearance falling at his feet only for Ben Killip to save low at the near post.

And Killip was able to breath a sigh of relief moments later when he questionably pushed a cross from Nichols into the path of Jefferies who was unable to react quick enough to open the scoring.

Dolan went into the book when body checking Dieng and Dieng almost punished Hartlepool when heading over from the resulting free kick.

Nichols and Hawkins linked up with a classic big-man-little-man combination as the former Crawley man scampered away down the right ahead of Rollin Menayese before firing wide.

Pools had to be on their guard with a number of last ditch clearances as the home side grew in confidence before Umerah, out of nowhere, brought Glenn Morris into his first save when rolling his man and fizzing one from the angle of the area.

Pools enjoyed their best spell of the half from that as they were able to send in a number of crosses but it was the home side who continued to be the more threatening - Nichols and Hawkins again linking up as the towering Hawkins fired over under pressure from Dodds.

And then came the moment which, probably, the Gills deserved as they broke the deadlock five minutes before the interval.

The lively Nichols drew a foul from Reghan Tumilty on the left and from Alex MacDonald’s in-swinging free kick, Nichols was on hand with a deft flick to beat Killip at his near post.

Curle made a double substitution at the break to try and ignite a reaction with Jake Hastie and Shelton introduced but neither were able to make an impact as Gillingham continued in the ascendancy.

But despite failing to make the kind of impact Curle had hoped for, the game turned on its head in a minute on the hour as Pools, and Umerah, saw a goal ruled out as the striker headed in Shelton’s deflected strike only for the offside flag to rule it out before Jefferies would double the lead instantly.

Pools were beaten by a simple ball inside the left channel as Jefferies was able to pick out the top corner and effectively end the contest.

Umerah did go close when glancing Ferguson’s cross off the post but, ultimately, it was a game which Curle’s side deserved little from and it was a performance which will only raise further questions and concern.

Gillingham XI: Morris, McKenzie, Ehmer, Wright, Tutonda, Jefferies (Alexander ‘86), Dieng, Williams, MacDonald (Adelakun ‘79), Nichols (Kashket ‘79), Hawkins

Subs: Turner, O’Keefe, Baggott, Gbode

Hartlepool United XI: Killip, Tumilty (Shelton ‘45), Menayese, Ferguson, Dodds, Featherstone ©, Dolan, Sylla, Greym(McDonald ‘80, Hamilton (Hastie ‘45), Umerah

Subs: Boyes, Niang, Missilou

Referee: Robert Lewis