It was an afternoon where Bradley Dack thought he had given John Coleman his first Gillingham win with a late strike against the ten men of Crewe Alexandra at MEMS Priestfield, but the visitors escaped with a point as the goal was ruled out denting the home celebrations. 

Over the course of the game, this was arguably the best that the Gills have played under Coleman (especially at home) with Crewe indebted to their keeper Fillip Marschall on more than one occasion particularly after defender Ryan Cooney sent off late on for a second yellow. Gills thought they had finally broken Coleman’s duck, but Dack’s late striker was disallowed. 

Both sides will wonder how they didn’t score but as the game wore on, the Gills dominated more and created the better chances aside from Dack’s late effort which was ruled out for a “foul” on the Crewe keeper. 

The two sides both had early chances – Robbie McKenzie coming close again after Tuesday’s wonder goal at Walsall, whilst Crewe’s Jack Powell blazed wide. 

Gillingham had the best chance of the half just before the break. Max Ehmer did well to find Elliott Nevitt from Max Clark’s free-kick. Nevitt’s shot was blocked, JJ Morgan forced Marschall into a magnificent save and following up Andy Smith was denied at the last. 

The second half began with the Gills on top – after Nevitt won a corner with a deflected effort, Smith had a header scrambled off the line, and then Sam Gale came agonisingly close to netting his first goal if not goals for the Club as twice in quick succession he was denied by the excellence of Crewe’s keeper – firstly with his feet as a header from an Armani Little free-kick was goal bound before Marschall bettered even that as Smith helped on a long Romeao Hutton throw for Gale to power towards the top corner only for the Crewe stopper to stretch to hos limits to claw the ball away from the top corner. 

Gale and Clark then excelled in front of their own goal with great blocks before the Gills were handed an advantage for the final fifteen minutes as Cooney was shown a second yellow card – upending substitute Dack – and the faithful sensed that this would now be the day that the winless run ended. The Gills piled forward – Oli Hawkins looped a header onto the roof of the net from Jack Nolan; Dack had the ball in the net only for the officials to bewilder most of the crowd by deeming that Hawkins had fouled Marschall; Nevitt had a drive that was deflected late for a corner before arguably the best chance of all came in the ninety-eighth and final minute. 

The Crewe keeper dropped a corner, Ehmer reacted first drilling a shot goalwards, Marschall stuck out a reflex hand to parry and the ball clearly hit an ungloved hand in the box, but to the amazement of everyone in the Rainham End, referee O’Connor wasn’t interested and blew for time almost immediately. 

Walsall was a massive improvement on Barrow; Crewe was a massive improvement on Walsall; will the massive six pointer at Carlisle next weekend now finally see John Coleman celebrate his first Gillingham win. 

GILLINGHAM – Morris, Hutton (Jayden Clarke), Smith, Ehmer, Gale, Max Clark (Nolan), McKenzie, Little, Corness (Dack), Nevitt, Morgan (Hawkins) 

Subs – Turner, Ogie, Khumbeni 

CREWE ALEXANDRA – Marschall, Cooney, Sanders, Tracey (Thibaut), Tabiner, Holicek, Powell, Conway, O’Riordan, Billington, Lowery (Agius) 

Subs – Booth, Dancey, Moore, Armstrong 

REFEREE – Mr. O’Connor