Gillingham boss Stephen Clemence praised his side’s “fantastic” character as they twice came from behind to pick up a vital win against play-off rivals Morecambe at the Mazuma Stadium.
The home side took the lead through goals from Jordan Slew and Charlie Brown either side of the break but levellers from Oli Hawkins and Timothee Dieng set up a thrilling finale which saw Connor Mahoney score the winner six minutes from time.
Clemence, whose eighth-placed side had picked up just two points from their previous four games, said: “The character we showed was fantastic to come from behind twice. It was a difficult day and the conditions made it hard for both sides so to win the game in the way we did was fantastic.
“It was a really important win because we have had a few bad games recently and we knew we had to get a result and I’m really proud of the lads today.
“We have definitely been improving going forward in recent weeks but we haven’t done well enough in front of goal or put the ball in the back of the net enough, but today we did.
“The win keeps us in the play-off hunt and if we can stay in the hunt after Easter then we are in among the runners and riders.”
Slew put Morecambe ahead after 11 minutes with a fine low strike from Brown’s neat through-ball but Gillingham hit back soon after as Hawkins produced a good finish after the Morecambe defence failed to clear a dangerous cross.
Brown put the Shrimps back ahead just after the hour when he slid in at the far post to divert Ged Garner’s shot past Glenn Morris.
The Shrimps looked to add to their lead with Slew forcing two good saves from Morris and Garner flashing a fierce shot inches wide.
But it was the visitors who stuck next when Dieng’s hopeful long-range effort squirmed through Archie Mair’s grasp before Mahoney struck the winner after making the most of a poor clearance from the Morecambe keeper.
Morecambe manager Ged Brannan found it difficult to explain away his side’s fourth successive defeat.
He said: “It’s a tough result to swallow really to be honest. We played some great football, passed the ball around well especially in the second half, got ahead twice and cut them open a few times.
“Individual errors proved costly and we lost a game we should have won but we are still not out of the play-off race and if we play like we played today for the rest of the season we won’t be far off and we are not going to give in.
“We have a massive Easter ahead of us now with two derby games and if we play the way we played today in those games we will have a great chance.”
Guardiola rues finishing as Man City frustrated at St James' Park
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola rued his side's finishing after their 1-1 draw with Newcastle United on Saturday.
City had taken the lead in the first half through Josko Gvardiol, after neat play from Jack Grealish helped create the goal, but were pegged back when Anthony Gordon won and converted a penalty after the break.
Despite having 16 shots, and six efforts on target, City only registered 0.87 expected goals (xG), suggesting those chances were not of a high quality.
Erling Haaland failed to extend his scoring run, while Nick Pope made a fine save from Bernardo Silva late on, as City saw a run of 14 successive Premier League matches in which they had scored multiple goals come to an end.
A frustrated Guardiola told TNT Sports: "We made bad decisions at the last minute to make it 2-0. It is always difficult here with their physicality and they defend so deep.
"We had chances but Pope was brilliant so we take the point.
"When we scored we played better. We make a mistake and after they play better. But then we take the game again and had chances to win it.
"They had moments in first ten minutes and after their goal, but in general we played really good."
Guardiola was full of praise for City's midfielders, with Rodri's season-ending knee injury leaving him searching for solutions.
"Mateo [Kovacic] was brilliant, Rico [Lewis] too. Bernardo played there. Really good," Guardiola said.
City are back in European action on Tuesday, as they travel to Slovakia to face Slovan Bratislava.
Howe thrilled with Gordon's leading role in Man City draw
Eddie Howe hailed Anthony Gordon's performance after he proved decisive in Newcastle United's 1-1 draw with Manchester City.
Newcastle fell behind in the first half when Josko Gvardiol finished off a slick City move, but the home side hit back, with Gordon winning and converting a penalty to earn a point.
With Alexander Isak injured, Gordon, who has won seven penalties in the Premier League since the beginning of last season, at least four more than any other player during that time, led the line for Newcastle.
The England international performed brilliantly, creating two chances while also attempting four crosses as he dragged wide to stretch City's defence.
Speaking to TNT Sports, Howe said of Gordon: "I've said he is capable of doing the role.
"The highlight for me today was his energy and his running. He led the line really well and really pleased that he got his goal. Well deserved."
Gordon confirmed pre-match that he is close to signing a new deal to remain at Newcastle, despite speculation linking him with a move away.
After the match, he told TNT: "The way I play striker, you'll see a lot of pressing, just because I'm not an out-and-out number nine. I have to play it my way."
Newcastle have 11 points from their opening six games, and Gordon is encouraged by the tally given some of the performances this season.
He said: "It's a really good place to be considering we've been nowhere near what we can do. We've got so much more to give."
Howe too was delighted to see such a vast improvement from his side in comparison to their dismal performance away at Fulham last week, which saw them lose 3-1.
"We are happy, especially after last week," he told BBC Sport.
“That was a good display, that was us playing our way, brave. It was two teams going right at each other for probably 70 minutes.
"We got into really good crossing areas and I was really pleased with how we were off the ball and how we attacked the game. I can't ask for much more than that, the lads gave everything."
Simeone confident for Madrid derby despite lack of rest time
Atletico Madrid's lack of preparation time has not dampened Diego Simeone's confidence ahead of Sunday's clash with Real Madrid, with the Argentine hoping their past derby successes can provide inspiration.
Atleti are unbeaten through their first seven games of the season in LaLiga, winning four and drawing three to sit third in the table, two points behind their cross-city rivals.
Los Colchoneros have, however, had two fewer days to prepare for the first Madrid derby of the season, having beaten Celta Vigo 1-0 on Thursday. Carlo Ancelotti's champions, meanwhile, downed Alaves 3-2 on Tuesday.
Atleti do boast a strong record against Los Blancos, being the only team to beat them in any competition last season – once in LaLiga last September and again in the Copa del Rey in January.
Simeone has masterminded 12 wins in his 43 Madrid derbies as Atletico coach (15 draws, 16 losses), as many victories as they managed in their previous 77 prior to his arrival.
Speaking at Saturday's pre-match press conference, Simeone told reporters: "A lot has changed up to this moment.
"It's an aspect in which we’ve improved, and that’s why the club has grown as it has, and the team is held to the standards it is.
"Everything starts in the mind. Beyond the physical aspect, which can have an influence at times, motivation is an important weapon for everything in life."
The Argentine did admit the lack of preparation time posed a unique challenge, adding: "It's tough to change things in two days, based on what we've been doing.
"We are still in the process of finding our balance, we are adapting and we get it right more or less. But it is true that we need more time.
"We accept it as it is. We said it before when we went to play against Athletic Bilbao in the (Copa del Rey) semi-final, them with five days and us with two days of rest. No-one cares."
Atleti's only home defeat so far this year came in February's Copa del Rey semi-final against Athletic, who went on to win that trophy.
While Madrid have plenty of firepower despite Kylian Mbappe missing out due to injury, Simeone feels Sunday's visitors will miss the influence of retired midfielder Toni Kroos.
"The opponent has lost a very important player like Kroos," he said. "I think they are looking for that player who gives them that calm to take advantage of all their offensive power."
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