Max Clark’s fierce strike during second-half stoppage time ensured Gillingham left the Wham Stadium with a point in a 1-1 draw with Accrington Stanley.
The hosts took the lead during first-half stoppage time when Benn Ward put Ben Woods’ free-kick into the back of the net from close range.
With the game deep into stoppage time in the second period, a well-worked free-kick paid off. Armani Little had the ball around 20 yards from the goal and played a short pass to an unmarked Clark to his left. The left-back took it out of his feet before rifling a powerful effort into the roof of the net beyond a hapless Billy Crellin.
John Coleman named an unchanged side for the visit to Accrington, with match-winner Conor Masterson remaining at the heart of the defence.
Jimmy-Jay Morgan had the first chance of note in the tenth minute. He did well to take the ball beyond an Accrington defender before going inside onto his right foot. The Chelsea loanee weaved away from a couple of challenges before the space opened up for him to shoot. He struck from 20 yards, with his low drive going just wide of the post.
In the 15th minute, Joe Gbode had a half-chance. A free-kick to the left of the penalty area was curled into the box by Armani Little, which the hosts headed clear. Remeao Hutton had the ball on the right, crossing into the box. It found Gbode, who headed goalward, but he could not angle his attempt on target.
Glenn Morris did incredibly well to prevent Accrington from taking the lead. Jake Batty capitalised on a loose ball, bursting into the Gillingham penalty area before shooting. Morris was equal to it, pushing it away from the danger. However, the rebound came out to Ben Woods on the edge of the penalty area, who struck a half-volley goalward. Morris had to be at full stretch, clawing it away from the top left corner and over the crossbar for a corner, which came to nothing.
Kelsey Mooney had a great opportunity on 31 minutes. He was played in behind the Gills backline by Joe O’Brien-Whitmarsh, finding himself one-on-one with Morris. Fortunately for the visitors, he fluffed his attempt, slicing it well wide at the near post.
A free-kick routine nearly worked out for Gillingham shortly before half-time. Little passed it back to Clark, who sent a high looping cross towards the back post. Masterson headed the ball towards the six-yard box, where Sam Gale hurled himself towards the ball to try and push it goalward. However, the referee felt he had committed a foul in the process before the academy graduate was cautioned for dissent.
During first-half stoppage time, Benn Ward gave Accrington Stanley the lead. Ben Woods’ free-kick was fizzed into the penalty area, finding an unmarked Ward around the six-yard box. The ball bounced off the unexpecting Ward and found its way into the back of the net.
HALF-TIME: Accrington Stanley 1-0 Gillingham
Gillingham had plenty of the ball during the opening 15 minutes of the second period. However, they could not threaten Billy Crellin in the Accrington goal.
In the 64th minute, Elliott Nevitt replaced Oli Hawkins.
The visitors came close when Little’s corner was flicked across the face of goal by an Accrington player. However, there was not a Gillingham player to meet it at the back post as the ball went out of play for another corner, which the Gills could not capitalise on.
Gillingham made two more changes on 80 minutes, as Jacob Wakeling and Nelson Khumbeni replaced Gbode and Morgan respectively.
Josh Woods did well to create a chance by himself when he had the ball on the left touchline before cutting inside onto his right foot and making his way into the penalty area. Fortunately, he sent his low-driven attempt well wide of Morris’ near post.
In the 86th minute, the visitors made their final substitutions. Max Ehmer and Jonny Williams came on for Masterson and Robbie McKenzie.
In the fourth minute of stoppage time, Clark blasted Gillingham onto level terms. The visitors had a free-kick around 20 yards from the goal, which Little went short with, passing the ball to an unmarked Clark to his left. The left-back had acres of space inside the penalty area to move into before he rifled a thunderbolt past Crellin and into the back of the net.
FULL-TIME: Accrington Stanley 1-1 Gillingham
Accrington Stanley: Crellin, Love, Rawson, B. Woods, Mooney (Grant 83’), Ward, Batty (Quirk 72’), Matthews, Walton, Conneely (Coyle 64’), O’Brien-Whitmarsh (J. Woods 64’)
Unused Substitutes: Kelly, Caton, Aljofree
Gillingham: Morris, Hutton, Smith, Masterson (Ehmer 86’), Gale, Clark, McKenzie (J. Williams 86’), Little, Morgan (Khumbeni 80’), Gbode (Wakeling 80’), Hawkins (Nevitt 64’)
Unused Substitutes: Turner, Corness
Referee: Charles Breakspear
Attendance: 2449 (351 Gillingham supporters)
