Doncaster Rovers 1 Gillingham 0: Billy's sharpness shines through to make the difference in tight game

Almost everything that happened in the game between two of the division's leading lights on will be quickly forgotten, but a moment of brilliance by the master goalscorer made it all worthwhile, and saw Doncaster Rovers to an invaluable 1-0 victory over Gillingham on an autumnal afternoon when the floodlights were needed throughout.

There is no question Doncaster, who hit the woodwork through Luke Molyneux in the second half, were worthy of the win, but without Sharp they would not have got it. In fact, had Molyneux not been alert on his own goalline, they could even have lost.

It spoke volumes that when the game went into stoppage time, Grant McCann sacrificed Molyneux for a third centre-back, Joseph Olowu, as the Gills cranked up the pressure.

You could hear the relief in the roars that greeted the full-time whistle. It had been a big win.

It would be pushing it to call it a chance Sharp decided this game with after a first half-hour which Doncaster had the better of.

When Jordan Gibson touched Molyneux's deep cross back it was heading over Sharp's left shoulder before he swung his right leg and hooked it in.

Eleven minutes later, Molyneux created a fair better opportunity for the striker after skipping down the right wing, only for Sharp to disappointingly head it off the target.

Even so, Sharp remains the master goalscorer the record books say he is.

Doncaster needed him because they were struggling to make the breakthrough until then.

Gibson was involved in many of the danger moments, though his eighth-minute touch was too heavy to send him through one-on-one onto Harry Clifton's threaded pass. It was the winger who shot the first effort of the game wide when a corner he had won was worked to him.

Gillingham had a brief flurry midway through the first half, Armani Little's shot deflected wide for a throw-in when a free-kick was tapped to him, and Sterry blocking Jack Nolan's effort when a Remeao Hutton long throw-in fell to him.

But Doncaster were soon attacking again, a quick counter producing a Brandon Fleming shot Gibson took in and swivelled on to force a Glenn Morris save before Sterry saw two follow-ups blocked.

Shortly after the goal Molyneux lobbed onto the roof of the net after the goalkeeper punched Fleming's deep and quite straight ball to him.

Molyneux was heavily involved in a strong start to the second half, having a shot deflect off Max Clark just over the crossbar, then hitting a centre onto it.

But the second goal would not come, Morris denying Owen Bailey after Sharp twice did well in the build-up. When the ball came back in, Clifton could not divert it into the net.

So it needed a goalline clearance from Molyneux when Ollie Hawkins threatened to equalise to preserve the three points.

For all Gillingham's late pressure, Little's late shot over was about all it amounted to, testament to defending led by outstanding young centre-back Jay McGrath.

So it was certainly not true to say this was a one-man effort, but the value of Sharp shone through.

Doncaster Rovers: Sharman-Lowe; Sterry, Anderson, McGrath, Fleming; Bailey, Westbrooke (Close 80); Molyneux (Olowu 90+2), Clifton, Gibson (Hurst 80); Sharp (Ironside 60).

Unused substitutes: Lawlor, Sbarra, Yeboah.

Gillingham: Morris; Hutton, Ogie, Hawkins, Clark; Little, Coleman (Williams 60); Nolan (Gbode 84), Lapslie (Andrews 77), Clarke (Wakeling 60); Wyllie (Nevitt HT).

Unused substitutes: Ashby-Hammond, Giles.

Referee: T Parsons.