Accrington Stanley 0-2 Gillingham

First-half goals from Brandon Hanlan and Josh Parker spoilt Accrington's first game in League One as Gillingham won 2-0.

The League Two champions are playing in the third tier of English football for the first time since 1960 but the Gills were clinical, inflicting Stanley's first defeat at home in 2018.

Stanley's Jonny Maxted was the first goalkeeper in action, pulling off a diving save to deny Mark Byrne in the seventh minute.

At the other end, Sean McConville's header beat keeper Tomas Holy but Max Ehmer headed off the line.

The Gills took the lead on 23 minutes when Hanlan fired home from close range after getting on the end of a Regan Charles-Cook cross.

Gillingham piled on the pressure and they made it two on 43 minutes. Luke O'Neill played in a cross from the right and Parker's diving header beat Maxted.

Stanley tried to get back in the game in the second half - Scott Brown's goalbound shot hit his own player, Offrande Zanzala headed over and Ross Sykes had a header cleared off the line - but they could not find a way through.

Report supplied by the Press Association.

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Accrington

• 1Maxted
• 2JohnsonSubstituted forFinleyat 62'minutes
• 5Richards-Everton
• 3Hughes
• 15SykesBooked at 68mins
• 7ClarkBooked at 45mins
• 28Conneely
• 8Brown
• 11McConville
• 10JacksonSubstituted forZanzalaat 82'minutes
• 29Kee

Substitutes

• 9Zanzala
• 14Finley
• 17Esteves Sousa
• 18Rodgers
• 22Mingoia
• 25Platt
• 34Warner

Gillingham

• 1Holy
• 2O'Neill
• 5Ehmer
• 6Zakuani
• 3Garmston
• 11Charles-Cook
• 16Bingham
• 8Parrett
• 33ByrneBooked at 38mins
• 7HanlanSubstituted forEavesat 70'minutes
• 14Parker

Substitutes

• 9Eaves
• 12Fuller
• 17Nasseri
• 18Nash
• 19Simpson
• 25Stevenson
• 30Hadler

Referee:

Anthony Backhouse

Attendance:

2,201

Match Stats

Home TeamAccringtonAway TeamGillingham

Possession

Home60%

Away40%

Shots

Home17

Away11

Shots on Target

Home4

Away5

Corners

Home8

Away5

Fouls

Home10

Away19

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Accrington Stanley 0, Gillingham 2.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+4'

Second Half ends, Accrington Stanley 0, Gillingham 2.

Posted at 90'+4'

Corner, Accrington Stanley. Conceded by Bradley Garmston.

Posted at 90'+4'

Attempt saved. Ross Sykes (Accrington Stanley) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner.

Posted at 90'+4'

Corner, Accrington Stanley. Conceded by Bradley Garmston.

Posted at 90'+3'

Attempt saved. Ben Richards-Everton (Accrington Stanley) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.

Posted at 90'+3'

Sean McConville (Accrington Stanley) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 90'+3'

Foul by Bradley Garmston (Gillingham).

Posted at 90'+2'

Corner, Gillingham. Conceded by Seamus Conneely.

Posted at 90'+2'

Attempt blocked. Regan Charles-Cook (Gillingham) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

Posted at 90'

Attempt missed. Offrande Zanzala (Accrington Stanley) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left following a corner.

Posted at 90'

Corner, Accrington Stanley. Conceded by Luke O'Neill.

Posted at 89'

Attempt missed. Tom Eaves (Gillingham) header from the centre of the box is just a bit too high following a set piece situation.

Posted at 89'

Foul by Sean McConville (Accrington Stanley).

Posted at 89'

Josh Parker (Gillingham) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 88'

Foul by Offrande Zanzala (Accrington Stanley).

Posted at 88'

Luke O'Neill (Gillingham) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 88'

Seamus Conneely (Accrington Stanley) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 88'

Foul by Josh Parker (Gillingham).

Posted at 87'

Attempt missed. Ross Sykes (Accrington Stanley) header from the centre of the box misses to the right following a corner.

Posted at 87'

Corner, Accrington Stanley. Conceded by Mark Byrne.

Posted at 85'

Foul by Offrande Zanzala (Accrington Stanley).

Posted at 85'

Bradley Garmston (Gillingham) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 84'

Delay in match Josh Parker (Gillingham) because of an injury.

Posted at 83'

Ross Sykes (Accrington Stanley) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 83'

Foul by Tom Eaves (Gillingham).

Substitution

Posted at 82'

Substitution, Accrington Stanley. Offrande Zanzala replaces Kayden Jackson.

Posted at 80'

Attempt missed. Sam Finley (Accrington Stanley) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.

Posted at 80'

Attempt blocked. Scott Brown (Accrington Stanley) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.

Posted at 79'

Mark Hughes (Accrington Stanley) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 79'

Foul by Tom Eaves (Gillingham).

Posted at 79'

Attempt missed. Dean Parrett (Gillingham) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.

Posted at 75'

Delay in match Josh Parker (Gillingham) because of an injury.

Posted at 75'

Mark Hughes (Accrington Stanley) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 75'

Foul by Tom Eaves (Gillingham).

Posted at 74'

Scott Brown (Accrington Stanley) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 74'

Foul by Dean Parrett (Gillingham).

Posted at 73'

Attempt missed. Sam Finley (Accrington Stanley) left footed shot from outside the box is too high.

Posted at 72'

Ross Sykes (Accrington Stanley) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 72'

Foul by Regan Charles-Cook (Gillingham).

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