Two sensational saves from Glenn Morris ensured that Gillingham held Salford City to a goal-less draw at the Peninsula Stadium as the hosts play-off hopes took a dent as Gareth Ainsworth’s side made it three unbeaten.

The Gills Number One rolled back the years in the closing minutes to firstly deny Ros Longelo’s volley with a brilliant save and the to deny Brandon Cooper’s follow up even more magnificently as Morris and the Gills kept successive clean sheets for the first time since the end of August.

Ainsworth named the same side that beat Accrington on Easter Monday with Robbie McKenzie returning to the bench.

Longelo had the games first chance long before the late drama as he actually beat Morris with an early drive that saw the keeper “saved” by the crossbar! 

It was a tight opening half with little quarter asked or given and the home side had the chances – Ryan Graydon was brilliantly denied by Andy Smith’s block and Ade Oluwo should have done better with a header – but the scoreline was still blank at the break.

The second half was just as compact although Luke Garbutt thought he’d given Salford the lead from a free kick, but Morris wasn’t going to be beaten on this day, making another staggering save.

The Gills really did a good job on containing the home side and were beginning to show themselves in forward areas as Romeao Hutton and Garath McCleary combined for Hutton saw a shot deflect inches wide.

The home then made a couple of half chances late on which were dealt with before Morris’s late master class and the saves to deny Longelo and Cooper.

Indeed, the Gills were inches away from the most unlikely of away wins when with the last kick of the game, Seb Palmer-Houlden shot scrapped the top of the crossbar.

This though was another day for Glenn Morris to remember with fondness when he does eventually call time on his distinguished career with many of the five hundred plus Gills fans in the 4,303 crowd – as well as many, many more back at MEMS Priestfield – hoping that there will still be more of the magnificent Morris to enjoy into next season and beyond in Gillingham blue!

Salford City: Young, Mnoga (Stockton), Oluwo, Cooper, Garbutt, Austerfield (Borini), Butcher, Longelo, Grant, Udoh, Graydon (Harris)

Subs – Howard, Dorrington, Ehibhatiomhan, Siri

Gillingham – Morris, Hutton, Andy Smith, Gale, Clark, Khumbeni, Little, Palmer-Houlden, McCleary (Masterson), Cirino (Dack), Hale (Andrews)

Subs – Turner, McKenzie, Jonny Williams, Vokes

Referee – Mr. Parkinson

Image courtesy of Gillingham FC