By Chris Dicketts
Gillingham Ladies came from two goals down on Sunday afternoon to secure a creditable draw with Millwall Lionesses.
Millwall took the lead in the 16th minute thanks to a fantastic strike from Leah Jones before increasing their lead through a bizarre own goal in the 50th minute.
An Ashlee Hincks strike got the Gills back into the game 6 minutes later before Natalie Crinean equalised late on in the game with a well taken finish.
Manager Ian Varley went with an experimental formation with Vicky Ashton-Jones moving into the centre of midfield and Lauren Phillips came in on the right wing for her debut against her former club.
The opening minutes of the match were a cagey affair as both teams looked to establish their dominance in the midfield.
In the 8th minute Lauren Williams was up ended and Ashlee Hincks stepped up from distance but hit her free kick straight at Paris Smith in the Millwall goal.
There were eleven minutes on the clock when Becky Lyon committed a foul on the edge of the Gills area. Kate Longhurst stroked her free kick into the Gills area but no one could get on the end of the ball.
Millwall could have gone ahead in the 15th minute as a free kick was sent into the Gills area; it was laid back to Leah Jones. Her shot came back off of Becky Spencer's cross bar and Harley Bennett was lurking to head goal wards but it was cleared away by Captain Becky Lyon with the goal empty.
They did go ahead a minute later however when a long ball found Emma Whitter. Her pace was too much for the Gills defence and she raced down the right wing. Having cut into the Gills area she was shepherded by Sian Cheedy, but got a pass away to Leah Jones. She hit a shot from the 18 yard line that beat Becky Spencer into the top corner to make it 1-0.
Two minutes had passed when the Gills had a good chance to get themselves back into the game. Ashlee Hincks stood over a free kick thirty yards from goal and promptly curled it round the wall. She found Paris Smith in top form to tip the ball round the post for a corner.
From the resulting corner Hincks played a one-two with Deanna Cooper and then cut into the Millwall area before hitting a shot well wide.
Millwall if they had been more clinical in front of goal could have been in further in front just before the half hour mark.A rare mistake by Deanna Cooper presented the ball to Leah Jones she headed the ball onto Kate Longhurst who went one on one with Becky Spencer but blasted her shot high over the bar.
They had an excellent chance in the 31st minute as well, when the pace of Emma Whitter was too much for the Gills defence. Yet from in line with the penalty spot she managed to hit her shot straight at the keeper.
The Gills were dealt a blow for the second week in a row when Captain Becky Lyon was forced off through injury in the 35th minute; she was replaced by Rachel Ahern for the second week in a row.
In the 34th minute Ashlee Hincks found Lauren Williams in space on the right wing, she played in the impressive Lauren Phillips but she couldn't get her shot away.
As time ticked towards half time both sides had chances to score first Lindsey Morgan blasted over the Gills bar before Ashlee Hincks sent in a free kick that was cleared with Deanna Cooper lurking.
Half Time 0-1
Millwall came out full of attacking intent at the start of the second half and Emma Whitter wasted a glorious chance when she blasted over from close range.
They did go further ahead through a bizarre own goal in the 50th minute. Sian Cheedy played a pass back to Becky Spencer from close range. What happened next can only be described as a Paul Robinson style air shot from Spencer as the ball took and unfortunate bobble on the pitch and popped up over her foot and into the back of the net.
The Ladies were back in the game in the 56th minute; Danni Farmer played a fantastic ball through to Ashlee Hincks. She controlled the ball on her chest, turned the defender like she wasn't there and raced into the area and slotted home under Paris Smith to make it 2-1.
On the hour Harley Bennett handled the ball on the edge of the Millwall area; Ashlee Hincks stepped up and sent her free kick wide.
Millwall had a good chance just after the hour mark thanks to good interplay between Kate Longhurst and Lindsey Morgan but their shot was blocked and went out for a corner.
The Gills were level in the 78th minute when some great play between Danielle Carlton and Vicky Ashton-Jones saw Natalie Crinean put through. She raced onto the ball round the corner before slotting home a great strike under Smith in the Millwall goal to make it 2-2.
With 83 minutes on the clock there was a moment of controversy as Ashlee Hincks unleashed a shot from 40 yards out. In the windy and wet conditions the shot was always going to cause problems, as the keeper went to catch it the ball slipped out of her gloves and headed towards the goal line. With neither the referee or linesman up with play and everyone else a distance away it was hard to see if the ball had crossed the line, if didn't it was mighty close.
In the 87th minute the Gills had a good chance to wrap up all three points when Natalie Crinean played in Laure Jeffery, she raced onto the ball but found the keeper as she tried to get a shot away.
Overall the Gills can pleased with coming from 2-0 down to draw the game 2-2 against their National Premiership opponents, and it maintains their unbeaten start to the season.
Full Time 2-2
Gills: Spencer, Williams, Lyon (c), (Ahern, 33), Cheedy (Jeffery, 86), McConville, Cooper, Farmer (Carlton, 75), Ashton-Jones, Hincks, Crinean, Phillips
Subs not used: Kay, Nunn, Russ
Millwall: Smith, Lennon (c), McKeag, Ali, Bennett, Jones S, Jones L, Beckett, Longhurst, Morgan, Whitter
Subs: Kiobel, Seely, Griffiths, Butler
