McCleary Sinks Shrewsbury With Late Winner for Gillingham F.c.
Garath McCleary came off the bench and scored a stoppage-time winner as gillingham f.c. beat Shrewsbury Town 1-0 at MEMS Priestfield Stadium on the final day of the 2025/26 season. The late strike settled a match that stayed level through half-time and into the closing minutes before McCleary finished it from 25 yards.
McCleary Decides It Late
McCleary replaced Bradley Dack in the 65th minute and delivered the only goal after the game had already reached stoppage time. He drove the ball into the top right corner from 25 yards, turning a tight final fixture into three points for Gillingham at the last possible moment.
The goal also extended Gillingham’s run to three successive home games with a goal. That run mattered here because the contest had been level at the break and had not produced a breakthrough from open play despite chances at both ends.
Chances Before The Break
Gareth Ainsworth made three changes to the side that lost at Barnet, with Remeao Hutton and Sam Gale returning to the starting XI after injury and Sam Vokes starting his final professional game before retirement. Seb Palmer-Houlden was fit enough to be named among the substitutes, while Sullivan Booth, McCleary and Nelson Khumbeni were also on the bench and Harry Waldock missed out.
Gillingham created early openings. Robbie McKenzie had a low drive saved straight at Will Brook after 10 minutes, and Josh Ruffels headed over from Tom Sang’s cross in the same spell. John Marquis then sent an effort straight at Morris in the 25th minute before Iwan Morgan hit the post from 20 yards out.
Williams Reaches 400
The one setback before the winner came in the 36th minute, when Sam Gale went off injured and Jonny Williams replaced him for his 400th club appearance. Armani Little then made an important block shortly before half-time, and Gillingham went into the interval locked at 0-0.
After the restart, Hale had a half-chance on 53 minutes when his strike from distance was headed behind for a corner. Gillingham still needed the late intervention from McCleary to settle a game that stayed finely balanced until stoppage time, but the final touch belonged to the substitute who changed the scoreline and ended the season with a home win.
