Gillingham boss Steve Evans didn’t get the birthday present that he craved most as he saw his patched upside held to a goalless draw by Accrington Stanley at Priestfield.
In what was Priestfield’s first goalless League game witnessed by the faithful since January 2019 – ironically, another goalless draw against the same opponents (the Gills did draw 0-0 at an empty Priestfield against Shrewsbury Town last April) and means that the last time that Gillingham scored at home to Stanley was Matt Fish’s winner back in March 2013 – that’s 336 goalless home minutes against the Lancastrians!
With his squad seemingly getting thinner almost by the week, the manager had to deal with two less this week after Ollie Lee broke a toe against West Ham United in the Papa John’s Trophy in midweek, whilst loanee Charlie Kelman has returned to QPR after failing to get the minutes the manager would have hoped for the Gills. That said, the eleven that started were the same side that had come so close to winning at Bolton Wanderers seven days before.
Whereas on paper this would have appeared to be a drab affair, the actual game itself became more and more one sided as the game went on and there was a genuine belief that if the Gills could have scored the first goal, more would have followed especially after the break.
Danny Lloyd, John Akinde and Max Ehmer all went close for the Gills in the opening stages – Lloyd denied at his near post by keeper Toby Savin, Akinde firing over from Lloyd’s cross and then the keeper denied Ehmer’s flick from a Lloyd free kick.
The visitors threatened rarely but Jamie Cumming was forced into a terrific save just past the half hour as the Chelsea loanee superbly denied Ethan Hamilton, yet despite the struggles the Gills should have been in front at half time – Akinde’s headed on from Ryan Jackson’s cross and the ball fell to Vadaine Oliver, but with the goal at his mercy, the Gills leading scorer didn’t hit the target.
There was more injury woes for Evans on the hour as his birthday started to go from bad to worse as the Gills boss saw Stuart O’Keefe hobble off to be replaced by Mustapha Carayol, but the substitute so very nearly made the manager’s day with his very first touch as Kyle Dempsey rolled him a short free kick. Carayol let fly and Savin made a stunning save but as the ball seemed to have fallen to Rhys Bennett, the visitors were able to scramble the ball off the line.
The Gills went even closer as the game moved into its’ final moments and were nearly gifted the points as the Accrington defence made a right mess of dealing with Dempsey’s corner and somehow the ball didn’t cross Savin’s line.
If proof were needed that it really wasn’t the Gills day, the skipper was ridiculously unlucky at the death. Dempsey played a brilliant ball into the box – was it a shot or was it a cross? But whatever the truth, the ball beat everyone and Savin was the most relieved man in Kent to see the ball smack off the inside of his post and rebound to safety.
It really wasn’t Gillingham’s or their manager’s day, but Steve Evans will know that if performances keep improving as they clearly are and hopefully with players starting to return from injury, the only way really is up.
The point gained did see The Gills move up one place to 18th in League One, but they remain just one point outside the relegation places.
Next though for Evans and his players is the start of the Road to Wembley and a home tie with Cheltenham Town next weekend.
GILLINGHAM – Cumming, Jackson, Ehmer, Bennett, McKenzie, Tucker, O’Keefe (Carayol 62), Dempsey, Lloyd, Oliver, Akinde.
Subs not used – Chapman, Lintott, Akehurst, Adshead, Reeves, Sithole.
Booked: Tucker (93).
ACCRINGTON STANLEY – Savin, Sykes, Amankwah, Nottingham, Hamilton, O’Sullivan, Connelly, Morgan, McConville, Pell, Bishop.
Subs not used – Trafford, Proctor, Leigh, Scully, Mansell, Nolan, Malcolm.
Booked: Sykes (62), Morgan (84).
REFEREE – Mr Christopher Pollard
Attendance: 3,609