Gillingham were left to rue missed first-half chances as managerless Barrow showed fight to secure a draw.

Gillingham welcomed Barrow AFC to the MEMS Priestfield stadium, four days after Andy Whing was sacked after the Cumbrian team’s third loss in four fixtures.

Manager Gareth Ainsworth made one change to the starting line up from last week’s scrappy 0-0 draw away at Colchester. Elliott Nevitt was selected ahead of Seb Palmer-Houlden, who started on the bench. The Gillingham bench was bolstered by the return of Andy Smith and Nelson Khumbeni from injury.

Barrow interim manager Neil MacDonald made two changes from their 0-3 home loss against Tranmere with Lewis Shipley coming in for skipper Niall Canavan, who is suspended following a red card, and Kane Hemmings replacing Connor Mahoney, who dropped to the bench.

The opening ten minutes were largely scrappy with neither side able to dictate play. Gillingham had a couple of promising moves that led to chances, but Garath McCleary and Nevitt couldn’t convert them.

Barrow mainly relied on long balls into the Gillingham half and Tom Barkhuizen’s impressive long throw to create opportunities, but Gillingham dealt with the threat with ease.

The first big chance for Gillingham, came from Aaron Rowe pounced on a loose ball following a corner, but then hit over the bar.

Gillingham then grew into the game with skipper Armani Little covering plenty of grass to control the midfield and Remeao Hutton offering some promising crosses from the right.

There was a moment of controversy with McCleary chasing a long, high ball towards the Barrow goal. The Barrow goalkeeper Wyll Stanway and skipper MJ Williams also came for it and collided with each other. The referee blew for a free kick, either judging there to be a head injury, or McCleary being at fault for the collision. The Priestfield fans disagreed with either judgement.

But the best was just around the corner as Nevitt, who was looking threatening, beat a couple of players on the right flank to whip in a sharp cross, which Barrow’s Jack Earing turned into his own net for Gillingham’s first goal.

This was followed up two minutes later with a second. Left-wing back Aaron Rowe, went on a mazy run, breezing past two Barrow defenders before cutting inside onto his right foot and calmly slotting the ball into the far-bottom corner.

Gillingham almost made it three just afterwards when McCleary crossed from the left to give Nevitt a chance from inside the six-yard box, but it was somehow bundled wide. The Priestfield fans were concerned when they saw Nevitt clutching his knee inside the Barrow goal – given Josh Andrews and Sam Vokes’ recent injuries leave the striking options rather limited – but he was able to continue.

Barrow produced their best football of the half in the final few minutes of the half, threading some passes together to create a few opportunities, but the Gillingham back three held firm.

The Gills had another chance to make it 3-0 as an excellent move involving Ethan Coleman, Bradley Dack and Nevitt led to McCleary having a shot saved in first half injury time.  

The second half started with Gillingham continuing to dominate. They looked threatening and played fluently, with McKenzie having the best opportunity of the opening minutes which he pulled wide.

However, against the run of play, Gillingham, momentarily switched off and Barrow found some space on the right with Barkhuizen. He pulled a good cross into the middle of the box, which the unmarked Josh Gordon headed into the top corner to pull the score back to 2-1.

This sparked the Gills back into life as they returned to dominating play, creating chances for Rowe and McCleary, both of which were put wide. Nevitt also had a one-on-one with the Barrow keeper from a tight angle, producing a great save.

Barrow then produced some sustained pressure of their own, forcing Gillingham to defend deep in their own half – but they managed to hold firm.

Ainsworth made some changes, bringing on Seb Palmer-Houlden and Nelson Khumbeni on for the veterans Dack and McCleary. This gave Gillingham more energy and pace in the final third as they looked to restore their two-goal cushion.

However, this also invited some jeopardy as Palmer-Houlden and Nevitt both led the line, leaving more space in midfield for Barrow to utilise.

Barrow did manage to take advantage of this with another period of pressure on the home side, creating several chances.

Finally, with 82 minutes on the clock, substitute David Worrall threaded a ball from just outside the Gillingham box to goalscorer Gordon, who made it 2-2 with a calm right foot finish.

Gillingham made two more substitutions, hoping to secure a late winner, but Barrow seemed the side more likely to make it 3-2.

Substitute Khumbeni went off the field in additional time with what looked like a thumb injury. Having used three substitution windows, were unable to replace him.

The match ended with Barrow almost snatching a winner as the ball wouldn’t quite settle in the Gillingham box and it was poked tamely to Turner.

Gillingham will surely see this as two points dropped rather than one gained. There were plenty of chances for them in the first half where they looked like they were cruising.

With a division as tight as League Two, this could prove a costly result at the back end of the season.

Gillingham: Turner, Hutton, Coleman, McCleary (Palmer-Houlden 72), Little, Rowe (Williams 88), McKenzie, Akomeah (Smith 88), Nevitt, Dack Khumbeni 66), Gale.

Subs Not Used: Holtam, Clark, Ogie.

Goals: Earing (OG) 26, Rowe 28.

Barrow: Stanway, Shipley, Williams, Raglan, Jackson (Newby 72), McCann, Hemmings, Earing (Smith 59), Gordon, Barkhuizen (Mahoney 59), Whitfield (Worrall 80).      

Subs Not Used: Winterbottom, Cameron.

Goals: Gordon 58, 83.

Booked: Hemmings (86)

HT  2–0  FT 2-2

Attendance:  5500 (76 Barrow)

Referee: Mr Farai Hallam