Gillingham won another big relegation battle on Saturday at a packed Priestfield.

Shaun Williams put the Gills ahead early in the second half after a first-half battle failed to produce a goal. The 48th minute goal from the home captain was enough to win it but not quite enough to climb out of the bottom two.

Gillingham have now beaten Harlepool, Colchester and Crawley in recent weeks - three teams who are also looking to avoid relegation.

There was a full-house at Gillingham as fans had been lured in by cheap tickets and a club with new hope under the Galinson ownership.

With seven points from the previous nine available, Gills manager Neil Harris had no real need to shuffle his team, but did make a change as centre-half Conor Masterson came into the XI to replace Will Wright.

There was plenty of expectation ahead of Saturday’s game. The Gills started the match still inside the bottom two but knew a win could lift them clear, depending on results elsewhere.

Crawley were just above the Gills pre-match and both teams needed a win to boost their survival hopes.

This was a match between two sides with American owners and while the Gills fans were displaying the stars and stripes flag in their end and singing the name of Brad Galinson, those supporters in the away section were calling for the owners of their club to go.

It was Crawley who had the better of the first half, even if the Gills had a golden chance to take the lead.

Visiting captain Ben Gladwin came close to scoring on a couple of occasions but Dom Jefferies put a chance wide for the Gills with just the keeper to beat after former Crawley striker Tom Nichols laid the ball into his path.

Gills needed to improve in the second half and it took just two minutes after the restart for them to get infront.

Nichols’ shot was saved one-handed by keeper Corey Addai and Williams was there to convert the loose ball infront of the Rainham End with 47 minutes gone.

Busy striker Nichols had a great chance of his own soon after when finding himself space inside the box. He looked to bend a shot into the bottom corner but Addai got a glove to the shot and sent it bobbling wide.

Crawley struggled to get back at the Gills once they had fallen behind.

The Gills suffered the blow of losing big striker Oli Hawkins to injury but had good options on the bench, including new loan signings Aiden O’Brien and Tristan Abrahams. It was O’Brien who got the nod to partner Nichols upfront.

Star man Nichols had fans worried when he went down holding his leg and calling for a physio with five minutes left. Thankfully it was just a touch of cramp.

Gillingham: Morris, McKenzie, Tutonda, Masterson, Ehmer, Williams, Dieng, MacDonald (Lapslie 86mins), Jefferies, Nichols (Abrahams 90mins), Hawkins (O’Brien 63mis). Subs not used: Turner, Alexander, Wright, Gbode.

Crawley: Addai, Gordon (Johnson 90mins), Conroy, Powell (Roles 80mins), Francillette, Gladwin, Oteh (Nadesan 62mins), Tsaroulla, Jenks, Fellows, Telford. Subs not used: Schofield, Ransom, Khaleel, Ogungbo.

Referee: Lewis Smith

Attendance: 9,317 (840 away)