Joe Gbode came off the bench to score for a second successive game, but saw his goal cancelled out by Will Wright’s stunning free-kick, as Gillingham drew 1-1 with Swindon Town in the final home game of the 2024/25 season at the MEMS Priestfield Stadium.
The hosts opened the scoring just after the hour after smart thinking by Aaron Rowe. He stepped over Sam Gale’s pass forward, which caught a Swindon defender off guard, as he missed the ball. It allowed Rowe to drive forward before playing a perfectly weighted through ball for Gbode. He did brilliantly to hold off the pressure of Ollie Clarke as he entered the penalty area before slotting under Connor Ripley and into the back of the net.
Wright equalised less than ten minutes later when his free-kick to the left of the centre went swerving into the far right corner past Glenn Morris at full stretch.
Gills ended the game with nine men, as Jonny Williams and Gbode were both sent off for second bookable offences during stoppage time.
Gareth Ainsworth made one change to the starting XI that beat AFC Wimbledon 1-0 on Easter Monday, as Elliott Nevitt returned to the side in place of Oli Hawkins, who missed out due to injury.
Dom Corness and Ethan Coleman were named among the substitutes.
Gills had a great opportunity in the opening minutes. Bradley Dack’s shot from distance deflected into the path of Robbie McKenzie, who could not bring the ball under his control. It dropped to Nevitt, who sent a thunderbolt goalward. However, it was straight at Connor Ripley, who palmed it up into the air before claiming the rebound.
Harry Smith nearly had the chance to open the scoring for Swindon. The visitors had the ball down the left before Kabongo Tshimanga cut the ball back into the path of Smith. However, a deflection flicked the ball up at an awkward angle for the forward, and he could not bring it under his control as it bounced off him and into the gloves of Glenn Morris.
Morris denied Gavin Kilkenny after 28 minutes. The visitors worked the ball into the penalty area before Tshimanga flicked it into the path of Kilkenny. He got a shot away but was denied by the oncoming Morris, who quickly came off his line to close the angle.
Gillingham looked to end the first half strongly as Sam Gale made a bursting run forward into the Swindon penalty area, allowing the hosts to push up the field. Despite being tackled, McKenzie regained possession as he offloaded to Dack, who played a smart through ball for Nevitt. The forward got it out of his feet before sending a low drive across the six-yard box. Unfortunately, no one was in the vicinity to capitalise.
HALF-TIME: Gillingham 0-0 Swindon Town
Gills were forced into a change during the first five minutes of the second half. Nevitt went down with what appeared to be a knock and was replaced by Joe Gbode.
Shad Ogie nearly opened the scoring with a stunning strike. The central defender received the ball before driving forward and unleashing a powerful shot from 30 yards out. It left Ripley on his toes, as he had to get down and get a solid hand onto the ball to keep it out before Swindon cleared their lines.
In the 61st minute, Gbode gave Gillingham the lead. The hosts went from back to front in two passes. Gale had the ball on the byline by his own penalty area before playing it forward in the direction of Aaron Rowe, who smartly stepped over the ball, catching the Swindon defender off guard as he missed it. It allowed Rowe to get in behind and start running towards the goal. He then played a perfectly weighted through ball for Gbode, who got in behind the visiting defence. The forward held off Ollie Clarke before slotting the ball under Ripley and into the back of the net.
Corness replaced Dack after 64 minutes.
Former Gills defender Will Wright equalised for the visitors a few minutes later. Swindon won a free-kick over 25 yards out from the goal to the left of the centre. Wright stood over it and sent his effort towards the far right corner. It had plenty of power and movement as it beat Morris at full stretch.
The hosts utilised their final substitute window in the 83rd minute. Coleman and Jimmy-Jay Morgan entered the game, replacing McKenzie and Rowe.
In the final moments of stoppage time, Gillingham saw two men sent off. Jonny Williams was the first after committing a professional foul that stopped Swindon from breaking forward. That proved to be his second booking, and he was dismissed.
While that was going on, Gbode also saw red. After clashing with a Swindon player off the ball, he was shown his second yellow card, which saw him also dismissed.
FULL-TIME: Gillingham 1-1 Swindon Town
Gillingham: Morris, Hutton Gale, Masterson, Ogie, Clark, McKenzie (Coleman 83’), J. Williams, Dack (Corness 64’), Rowe (Morgan 83’), Nevitt (Gbode 50’)
Unused Substitutes: Holtam, Nolan, Clarke
Swindon Town: Ripley, Clarke, Wright, Kirkman (Butterworth 78’), Cotterill (Ofoborh 80’), Kilkenny, Tshimanga (Ameen 77’), Freckleton, Glatzel, Nichols (Westley 77’), Smith
Unused Substitutes: Bycroft, Sobowale, Delaney
Referee: Neil Hair
Attendance: 7667 (760 away fans)
