Coca-Cola Championship
Saturday 16th April
GILLINGHAM 1 CREWE ALEXANDRA 1
Gills midfielder Nicky Southall's first goal of the season salvaged a precious point against Crewe Alexandra.
Crewe could count themselves unfortunate as they were twice denied by the woodwork before David Vaughan put his side in front to silence Gillingham's second highest attendance of the season at Priestfield.
Southall levelled 10 minutes from time though and Gills nearly nicked it at the death through Darius Henderson whose effort was hacked off the line.
In the second minute Jonathan Douglas received the ball with his back to goal on the edge of the box - he flicked it over his head and volleyed wide before good work by Mamady Sidibe created a crossing opportunity for James McEveley on the left. He accepted the invitation too, but Henderson headed over.
Henderson, from a Chris Hope flick on in the box, then struck just over on the turn before, in Gillingham's next move, Sidibe deserved applause. The striker picked the ball up in the left back position, nutmegged and broke at pace before supplying a decent pass through to Henderson, who, unfortunately, was unable to get the ball under control.
Crewe had offered little up to this point until Gills survived a let off on 21 minutes when Steve Jones' low cross, from the right, found its way to an unmarked Neil Sorvel who shot wide of Jason Brown's right hand post when he really should have hit the target at the very least.
Two minutes later a Southall cross, from the right, went miles up in the air and when the ball eventually came down it landed on the top of the bar. Jones then sent a header, from Kenny Lunt's free kick, straight at Brown before a Henderson header, from Southall's right wing corner, went just over the top at the other end.
Clayton Ince palmed away a 25-yard Douglas strike before Crewe were guilty of missing a sitter on the half-hour mark. Jones got the better of Ian Cox and went one-on-one with Brown in the box. The Gills keeper saved with his feet and the ball fell to Luke Varney, eight yards out with an open goal, and his strike crashed against the bar.
Nyron Nosworthy and Henderson then both tested Ince as the half drew to a close, but Crewe were first to threaten after the break. Varney was put through on goal, but Nosworthy recovered superbly to regain possession for the Gills.
Sidibe was off target with an overhead kick before Gills experienced something of an escape in the 63rd minute when Crewe substitute Justin Cochrane took it round McEveley on the right and struck the far post with a cross.
Gills substitute Matt Jarvis injected some pace into the side and from one of his in-swinging crosses Henderson's thumping header was saved by Ince at the second attempt. Jarvis then went on a diagonal run, starting out from the left flank, although he could only shoot wide.
Gills fell behind in the 73rd minute when Hope's clearance went straight to Vaughan and he composed himself before shooting into the top corner from 20-yards. Considering Crewe were just a point behind Gills prior to kick-off, that goal could have severely dented Gillingham's survival hopes had they not equalised.
Thankfully that equaliser arrived in the 80th minute. Sidibe saw his turn and shot blocked, but Southall, just inside the box on the right, followed up and drilled low into the far corner.
The impetus was now firmly with Gillingham and they nearly won it in stoppage time, but Henderson's header, from McEveley's left wing cross, was cleared off the line by Vaughan.
So it ended 1-1. Let's remember that Crewe scored first though and it could have been a lot worse.
Gillingham: Brown; Nosworthy; McEveley; Smith; Cox; Hope (Byfield 74); Southall; Flynn (Jarvis 64); Henderson; Sidibe; Douglas.
Subs not used - Banks; Hills; Crofts.
Crewe: Ince; Lunt; Moses; Sorvel; Jones (Cochrane 45); Vaughan; Varney; Tonkin; McCready; White (Higden 84); Murdock.
Subs not used - Walker; Williams; Moss.
Bookings: None
Attendance: 10,315
Referee: Mr M Russell
Report by: Adam Scally
