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Defender Carl Piergianni's third goal in two games earned promotion-chasing Stevenage a scrappy 1-0 victory over League Two's bottom side, Gillingham.

Second-placed Stevenage, who have the best home record in the fourth tier, extended the gap between them and the play-off places behind them to 12 points, while ensuring the Gills remained five points adrift of safety.

Gillingham had a great chance to take the lead in the eighth minute when Mikael Mandron put Alex MacDonald through, but his attempted dink was blocked by Stevenage goalkeeper Taye Ashby-Hammond.

That miss was punished as the home side broke the deadlock themselves in the 23rd minute when Jake Reeves' free-kick was firmly headed into the bottom corner by Piergianni.

Jordan Roberts almost added a second for Stevenage when his low effort from outside the area was turned aside by Glenn Morris.

The Gills then came close to snatching a point in the 89th minute when Robbie McKenzie's shot across goal went just wide, but it was yet another blank afternoon for the EFL's lowest scorers.

Report supplied by PA Media.