Danny Rose’s last gasp equaliser denied Gillingham all three points in a 1-1 draw with Grimsby Town at Blundell Park on Tuesday night.
John Coleman made three changes to the starting XI that drew at Tranmere Rovers. Sam Gale, Joe Gbode and Asher Agbinone came into the side. Elliott Nevitt, Bradley Dack and Jimmy-Jay Morgan missed out.
Bradley Dack was named among the substitutes, while Tim Dieng returned to the matchday squad.
Kieran Green came close to giving the hosts an early lead. Evan Khouri lofted a ball into the penalty area in the direction of Danny Rose. The ball bounced inside the box, falling to Green. He was unmarked before shooting on the turn, firing over the crossbar from around six yards out.
In the tenth minute, Gbode could not prod the ball goalward after fine work from Agbinone. The Crystal Palace loanee took the ball beyond a defender down the left-hand side as he got into the box. He cut it back towards the six-yard area, finding Gbode. Unfortunately, the forward could not set himself as the hosts managed to get the ball away from the danger.
Charles Vernam curled a free-kick wide of the target on 26 minutes. The ball was positioned in a central position, 25 yards from the goal, and the Grimsby man attempted to curl it up and over the wall. However, it took a slight deflection, taking it wide of the post.
Green saw a glancing header go inches wide just after the half-hour. Vernam cut inside onto his left foot before putitng in a central cross. Green came flying in with a diving header, directing it towards the far post. Fortunately, it whistled inches wide of the goal.
In the 35th minute, Gillingham went in front. Armani Little switched the ball over to Remeao Hutton, who carried the ball into the opposing half before playing it to Jack Nolan. He carried it up the line before delivering a low right-footed cross. Doug Tharme made first contact, attempting to clear it. However, he got it completely wrong, slicing the ball behind him and into the bottom corner of the net.
HALF-TIME: Grimsby Town 0-1 Gillingham
Gillingham nearly doubled their advantage moments into the second half. Shad Ogie crossed from the left, and Harvey Rodgers attempted to clear it. However, he headed backwards, as the ball smacked off the underside of the crossbar and onto the goal line before bouncing out and going out of play for a corner, which came to nothing.
The visitors made their first change on 58 minutes when Dieng replaced Nelson Khumbeni.
Dieng was inches away from making it two. Ogie brilliantly cut out a pass forward before evading a couple of challenges and offloading the ball to Agbinone. He curled a cross into the centre, where Dieng rose the highest. The midfielder’s header hit the inside of the post before Jordan Wright gathered the rebound.
In the 81st minute, Gills made two more changes, as Oli Hawkins and Dack came on for Nolan and Agbinone respectively.
In the second of seven minutes of stoppage time, Gillingham had a huge let-off. A cross from the left found Rose inside the penalty area unmarked. Fortunately, he knew little about it as it bounced off him and out of play for a goal kick.
Glenn Morris pulled off a huge save moments later. The Gillingham defence was stretched, and Grimsby gradually played the ball leftward to Jason Svanthorsson, who found himself in acres of space before striking goalward. Morris stood firm, doing brilliantly to tip it over the crossbar.
In the final seconds, Rose equalised for the hosts. Green delivered a low cross from the right towards the near post. Rose got across to meet it, sending a first-time effort into the back of the net.
FULL-TIME: Grimsby Town 1-1 Gillingham
Grimsby Town: Wright, Khouri, Tharme, Rodgers, Cass, McEachran (Carson 90+5’), Green, Thompson (Obikwu 79’), Svanþórsson, Vernam (Luker 65’), Rose
Unused Substitutes: Auton, Ainley, McJannet, Warren
Gillingham: Morris, Hutton, Gale (J. Williams 90+4’), Ehmer, Ogie, McKenzie, Little, Khumbeni (Dieng 58’), Nolan (Hawkins 80’), Agbinone (Dack 81’), Gbode
Unused Substitutes: Turner, Clark, Clarke
Referee: Simon Mather
Attendance: 4239 (137 Gillingham supporters)
