Gillingham had to settle for a point in front of the Sky TV cameras, as Port Vale battled back in the second half to earn a 1-1 draw at Priestfield.
Before kick-off both sides paid tribute to Doug Loft, a former captain of both sides, who sadly died recently, maybe a score draw was a fitting result, on a night when both sides remembered their former player.
After controlling much of the opening period and taking the lead before the interval, through a Ronan Hale penalty, the Gills were left to settle for a point when substitute Keyrol Figueroa struck midway through the second half.
The home side looked the sharper of the two teams from the outset, showing greater intent in possession and asking questions of the Port Vale defence. Gillingham’s attacking play carried a threat throughout the first 45 minutes, while the visitors struggled to establish any real chances, despite having a fair amount of possession.
The Gills’ attacking intent was rewarded three minutes before the break. A foul inside the penalty area on Ethan Coleman, handed Gillingham the perfect opportunity to take the lead and Ronan Hale made no mistake from the spot, calmly converting.
It could and should have been two minutes later when Eaves was adjudged to have fouled the defender, as he stuck a James Brophy free kick across the area and Coleman poked home from close range. The referee blew the whistle for the foul.
Port Vale emerged after the restart with far greater urgency and began to enjoy more possession. However, the first big chance came for the Gills. A Hale shot was deflected into the path of Eaves, his first touch wasn’t great, but his second touch forces the Port Vale keeper into a save.
The ball came out to Armani Little, and he blasted over the bar into the Rainham End from twelve yards out, when with a bit more composure he could have slot home.
The visitors pushed higher up the pitch and gradually forced Gillingham onto the back foot as they searched for a route back into the contest.
The equaliser arrived in the 66th minute. Following a ball into the Gills area, it wasn’t dealt with by Beckles or Coleman, who got in a right mess, the ball dropped kindly for substitute Keyrol Figueroa, who reacted quickest to fire home from close range and level the scores at 1-1.
Vale had a dangerous free kick on the edge of the area, former Gill Kyle Dempsey stepped up and forced a decent save from Wright, after a foul by Conor McManus.
The Gills couldn’t find a way out of their own half for most of the second half but did create a couple of half chances before the final whistle without really testing Marosi.
It is a point gained for the Gills, with eleven players out injured or missing for various reasons, and a poor performance against Accrington last weekend.
Gillingham:
Wright, Smith, Beckles, Daley, Brophy, Coleman (Waldock,70), Little, McManus (Luxton,84), Freeman, Hale (McCleary,74), Eaves (Kendall, 84)
Unused subs: Booth, Luthra, Dobbs.
Port Vale:
Marosi, Humphreys, Moon, Hall, Gabriel, Hall (Dempsey,45), Byers, Garrity (Walters, 90), John (Headley, 66), Watters (Figueroa, 45), Hernandez (Lynch, 45).
Unused subs: Lewis Montsma, Jackson Smith.
Attendance: 4866
Image courtesy of Gillingham FC