Burton fight back to extend Gillingham’s winless run

Gillingham slipped to 11 league games without a victory as Steve Lovell’s second spell in charge of the Kent side began with a 3-1 defeat against Burton.

Lovell was appointed interim manager on Monday following the departure of Steve Evans, the man who replaced him at Priestfield in 2019.

He saw his side take the lead three minutes in when Robbie McKenzie fired home from close range after Burton goalkeeper Ben Garratt parried Kyle Dempsey’s stinging volley.

The Gills, who had not scored a home league goal since 19 October prior to kick-off, almost doubled their advantage as Ben Reeves dragged a low effort narrowly wide.

But Burton levelled five minutes into the second half thanks to Tom Hamer’s looping header from Cameron Borthwick-Jackson’s pinpoint delivery.

Olly Lee forced Garratt into a fingertip save from distance and Dempsey blazed high and wide following a surging run into the Albion box.

Captain John Brayford put the visitors ahead 11 minutes from time as he capitalised on Jack Tucker’s miscued clearance to head past Pontus Dahlberg from six yards.

Substitute Jonny Smith then tapped home from Charlie Lakin’s cross within a minute of coming on to clinch a deserved come-from-behind victory for Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s side.