Gillingham 0 Barnsley 1: Johnson off to a flier

Johnson, who joined Barnsley last week from Oldham, saw his side end Gillingham’s eight-game unbeaten run which sealed a third straight win for the Reds.

“We’re delighted. A victory, a 1-0 win away from home, a clean sheet, a perfect result,” was how Johnson described his first game in charge.

“I thought the boys were fantastic, very spirited. Of course it was difficult, it was blowing a gale and we were playing against a side that’s really in form.

“We had to come and do a job. The midfield five worked their socks off, big George (Waring) worked hard up front and got his rewards with the goal.”

Johnson had made two changes to the side which had won 1-0 at Scunthorpe in midweek with Milan Lalkovic and Mason Holgate replacing James Bailey and the suspended Jean-Yves Mvoto.

Goalkeeper Ross Turnbull, however, missed his third game in a row due to a back injury.

Conor Hourihane had the best chance of a quiet first half when his long-range effort just missed the target, but the visitors took the lead after Ben Pearson’s shot was parried by Stuart Nelson and Waring fired home in the 59th minute.

Millwall loanee John Marquis fired over late on for the hosts and Reds goalkeeper Adam Davies made a fine save with his legs from Jermaine McGlashan to prevent the hosts from pinching a point.

Gillingham: Nelson, Hoyte (Galbraith 81), Egan, Ehmer, Garmston (Martin 57), McGlashan, Hessenthaler (Norris 66), Loft, Dack, Marquis, McDonald. Unused substitutes: Legge, Glenn Morris, Aaron Morris, Romeo.

Barnsley: Davies, Cranie, Nyatanga, Holgate, Smith, O’Sullivan (Bailey 87), Scowen, Pearson, Hourihane, Lalkovic, Waring (Oates 90). Unused substitutes: Berry, Hemmings, George Williams, Dibble, Lita.

Referee: K Johnson (Somerset).

Man of the match: Jermaine McGlashan.