The biggest win of the season!
After looking like we had thrown away two points and hanging on to salvage just the one point Diagouraga pounced in the 90th minute to grab a dramatic win in front of a 11,000 plus crowd.
The game hinged on a decision from the Lyndhurst linesman in the first half when from my position the ball looked to be over the line and Gillingham taking a 1-0 lead but the linesman waved play on and we escaped.
All three goals came in the second half, Grant steadied himself after riding some tackles and slotted a low shot past the Gillingham keeper to give us the lead. Grant was later substituted and the momentum went to Gillingham who were camped in our half.
With time running out Jake Jervis gave away a needless free-kick in the Gillingham half, they took a quick and long free-kick that caught us out at the back and Eaves beat our new 6-foot 5-inch tall keeper with a high shot.
Credit to the players for firstly not caving in and then to go on and score a late winner when Diagouraga held off a challenge to send a second low shot past the Gills keeper to give us back to back home wins.
Yann Songo'o was surprisingly dropped to the bench for this game and in came Ryan Taylor with Graham Carey moving to central midfield and Jervis switching to the right.
Our keeper for this game was Kelle Roos from Derby, our fourth different keeper in as many games.
Gillingham started the better team and forced some early corners but once we weathered that early pressure we took the game to Gills with Taylor showing us how much we missed him. He held up the ball and laid it off and also won the headers, Jervis has done well as a lone striker especially when running the channels but the team plays so much better with a striker who holds up the ball.
We created some good opportunities without turning them into clear cut chances and too often the free-kicks and corners from Carey, Fox and Jervis were over hit, however at least we were attacking the opposition in a home game instead of sitting back and letting them dictate play.
The shots on goal we had from Jervis and Grant lacked any power and were easily saved.
The Gills goal that never was came after Roos fumbled a shot, the ball looked to have trickled over the line before he grabbed it back, everyone in the stadium looked at the linesman who signalled it didn't cross the line and 98% of Home Park heaved a sigh of relief.
We started the second half on the front foot and Taylor again showed how crucial he is to the team by winning a header to set up Grant who finished well. 1-0 up and the stats show that we never lose after scoring first this season in the league.
Whether it's tactics or the mindset of the players or the opposition raise their game but again we sat deep and defended the lead and played on the counter attack, it doesn't make for easy viewing with Gillingham crosses and shots popping up more regularly than road works in Plymouth!
Despite his height Roos is another keeper who suffers from "crossitus", so it was left to Edwards and Bradley to head away the Gillingham bombs.
Grant was replaced by Songo'o and Carey moved to the left, the move was obviously meant to shore up our midfield but instead Gillingham increased the pressure on our defence.
Sure enough Gillingham scored their equaliser after Jervis gave away a silly free kick, the quick set piece caught us out and Eaves scored from 20 yards out.
From 1-0 and a free-kick deep into the Gillingham half we were suddenly at 1-1.
Gillingham now went for the throat and threw everything at us, they looked certain to score a late winner.
But the players in Green are a different set of players since that post match inquest following the Fleetwood defeat and pushed forward for one last big effort.
The ball fell to Diagouraga from Carey, he knocked the ball past a Gills defender, held off a challenge and fired low past the keeper to give us a 90th minute lead. Home Park erupted, even the loud music couldn't drown out the noise made by the fans.
Gillingham were not finished, they forced several late corners and from one of these Roos made a great save to tip the ball over the ball.
With the ref somehow finding another minute or two the Gillingham keeper went forward for what must be the final corner of the game, we survived and got the vital three points, a huge boost of confidence and just 2 defeats from the last 9 league games.
This was a huge win against a very good Gillingham team, they are one of the form teams of League One and so are we, despite both teams placed at the wrong end of the table.
The best player on the park was a player called Parks, number 14, he ran the show for Gillingham.
Diagouraga was a monster in midfield, strength, great control and a winning goal.
Taylor showed that if we have any chance of staying up he has to stay fit, he made a big difference to the team today.
The pace of Jervis on the right caused problem for the Gills defence, Grant had a good game and scored but you just wish he move give us more end product after seeing a lot of the ball.
Roos did ok, he made a mistake for the ghost Gillingham goal but recovered and made a crucial late save, will he stay with us or be another Mannion?
Carey did a job for the team without shining but it is now winter so we'll have to wait until March to see Carey dominate a game again.
The negative is that we sat back and defended after scoring and played on the counter attack, that tactic worked great in League Two but the higher standard of teams and players in League One make it very difficult to defend a narrow 1-0 lead and today proved that again, this time we got out of jail with a late winner.
Huge credit to the players for digging out the win, the pre-Fleetwood Argyle team would have lost this game.
Man of the match: Diagouraga.
Roos 6, Sawyer 6, Edwards 7, Bradley 7, Taylor-Sinclair 6, Fox 7, Diagouraga 8, Carey 6, Grant 7, Jervis 6, Taylor 7. Sub - Songo'o 6.