‘Anyone who takes four points off Doncaster this season will have done well’ - Gillingham assistant boss talks win over Rovers

Rovers led through Ben Sheaf before Fejiri Okenabirhie was sent off five minutes from the break.

Gillingham turned the game on its head with a brace of own goals from Cameron John but Rovers pushed for an equaliser deep into injury time, earning praise from Raynor.

“It wasn’t a vintage performance, it was a gritty performance,” he said. “We had to grind it out to a certain extent and credit to Doncaster - I thought they played some great stuff, even with ten men.

“They are a very good side, a good footballing team, Darren Moore has done a great job with them and we are just absolutely delighted to come away with three points.

“There were crucial goals at crucial times and the sending off had a big say in how it panned out, but we’re just proud of the boys.”

Raynor added: “It was horrible out there because of the wind and rain but you have to give credit to Doncaster. They are always a threat and we were very wary of that.

“We were delighted to come away with three points.

“Anybody who takes four points off Doncaster this season [it finished 1-1 between the sides on the opening day of the season] will have done very well.”

Discussing Okenabirhie’s dismissal, Raynor doubted if there was any intent on the striker’s elbow to the face of full back Barry Fuller but felt the decision was the correct one.

Raynor and Gills boss Steve Evans remonstrated with the fourth official after the incident, with referee Josh Smith taking advice before flashing the red.

“It looked as though maybe he swung at him but nobody wants to think that he has deliberately gone and elbowed someone,” he said.

“I think he looked to feel where Barry was and he caught him with his elbow.

“We don’t know if he did it deliberately or not, only he will know, but it looked pretty obvious to us.”