The points were shared in a scrappy, goalless game between Gillingham and Newport County at MEMS Priestfield.
Neither side were able to score in a largely forgettable game. Visitors Newport County proved difficult opponents to break down with plenty of men behind the ball.
There were a couple of early chances from the visitors and some frenetic opportunities for the Gills in the final minutes, but neither side ever looked likely to trouble the scoresheet.
Last Saturday’s 3-0 loss away at York City ended the Gills’ five-game unbeaten streak and dropped them to ninth in the table. Newport, having picked up their second win of the season, climbed to 17th.
Gareth Ainsworth made two changes to the side. Injuries to Will Goodwin and Eli King meant they were replaced by Lamin Sillah and Garath McCleary. Former skipper Armani Little was named as a substitute for the first time this season following a spell out injured, and Tom Eaves was also named as a substitute, having recently returned to the club as a free agent.
Hayden Mullins made one change to the Newport side that beat Grimsby 2-1 at home. Shaquille Gwengwe was replaced by Joe Thomas.
The opening minutes were largely controlled by the visitors. Michael Adu-Poku had a shot on target which was comfortably saved by Ollie Wright, and Lee Jenkins had a free header in the tenth minute, which he put over the bar.
Gillingham grew into the game after 15 minutes and were looking dangerous on the counterattack with McCleary, Hale and James Brophy linking up well.
Harry Waldock came close to opening with the scoring with a low, curling left-footed shot that went just wide of the post.
Midway through the first half, Newport should have gone ahead. After several blocked shots in the Gillingham penalty area, Adu-Poku had the ball with only Wright to beat. Wright made a smart save, but the ball rebounded to Matthew Jacob who missed the open net from a tight angle.
As the half progressed, Gillingham found it increasingly difficult to break down a well-organised Newport, who always seemed to have numbers behind the ball.
Waldock created another chance in the closing minutes as he wriggled through the packed Newport defence and fired off a low cross that was begging for a tap-in finish but missed everyone.
The second half began slowly with neither team dominating the opening minutes. A good block from Andy Smith snuffed out a threatening cross from Newport, sending it behind for a corner which came to nothing.
The Gills’ first decent attempt of the half came from a free-kick move, which James Brophy hit well over the bar.
After 15 uneventful minutes, Ainsworth turned to the bench and brought on Tom Eaves to offer more presence up front and hopefully bring about the opening goal.
Following the substitution, the Gills began to look more threatening. Ronan Hale had a good opportunity, following an excellent move on the right wing. Freeman’s cross found Hale unmarked in the box, but his shot was well-blocked.
Eaves looked as though he might be through on goal when he received McKenzie’s excellent through-ball, but the attack was snuffed out.
Moments later, Newport had a free kick just outside the Gillingham box, but the shot was off-target.
Newport had another opportunity when Yahaya Bamba fizzed a low cross into the vacant Gillingham box, but no Newport players were able to reach it.
The visitors’ best effort of the half came moments later when a free kick right on the edge of the Gills box was laid off to Cameron Norman, who thundered a low shot towards the bottom-left corner of the goal. Ollie Wright made an excellent save low to his right to keep the score at 0-0.
With full-time rapidly approaching, Ainsworth brought on the experience of Bradley Dack and Armani Little to try and snatch a winner.
It almost worked as Little played a lofted ball from deep for Eaves to run on to with only Jordan Wright to beat. However, he collided with the keeper, which was adjudged a foul.
Injury time was comfortably the most exciting period of the match with both teams desperately attacking to snatch the three points.
Dack had a header in the box and almost deflected in a shot from Nick Freeman.
Gillingham had a corner in the fifth minute of injury time, which resulted in the sort of goalmouth scramble that often yields a goal. It ended with Dack almost lobbing the keeper with a backwards header, but it just crept over the bar. The final whistle blew after the goal kick that followed.
Gillingham: O Wright, Smith, Hale (Dack 86’), Sillah (Eaves 63’), McCleary (Kendall 74’), McKenzie, Brophy, Beckles, Freeman, Waldock (Little 86’), Dobbs (Daley 74’).
Subs Not Used: Luthra, Coleman.
Booked: Hale 14’, Beckles 15’, Dobbs 72’, Daley 79’
Newport County: J Wright, Cameron, Jenkins, Brennan, Biggins (Lewis 90+6’), Thomas, Jacob, Norman, Adu-Poku (Bamba 76’), Dibley-Dias, Doidge (Garner 83’).
Subs Not Used: MacDonald, Smith, Merritt, Lewis, Sassi.
Booked: Biggins 45’, Norman 70’
HT 0 – 0 FT 0 – 0
Attendance: 5872 (236)
Referee: Mr Carl Brook
Image courtesy of Gillingham FC