Gillingham came away from Highbury Stadium with a well-deserved point after a hard-fought 0-0 draw with Fleetwood Town on Saturday.
The visitors hit the woodwork twice in the second period, with Ronan Hale smacking the outside of the post with a powerful low drive towards the near corner. Will Goodwin nearly found a late winner, as he got the slightest touch to send Harry Waldock’s excellent testing low cross towards the goal, but it clipped the post.
Gareth Ainsworth was forced into two changes for the visit to Fleetwood, as Logan Dobbs came into the starting XI for his first EFL league start, replacing Liam Gordon, who missed out due to injury. Robbie McKenzie returned to the line-up in the place of Armani Little, who missed out due to the knock he picked up in the defeat to Walsall.
Academy products Sully Booth, Harry Waldock and Harry Webster were named among the substitutes. Sheldon Kendall was in the matchday squad, having missed the opening league game as a precaution.
Following a combative opening 14 minutes, where both sides were battling to keep hold of possession, Mark Helm had the first opportunity of the game. The Fleetwood man carried the ball into the middle of the pitch before trying his luck from around 20 yards out. However, his attempt bounced wide of the left-hand post.
Lewis McCann was the next man to get a shot away. He had the ball on the left corner of the penalty area, with Nick Freeman closely sticking with him. McCann eventually found half a yard to get a shot away, bending his effort towards the far top corner. Fortunately, it went wide of the target.
In the 33rd minute, Will Goodwin had a fantastic opportunity. Freeman carried the ball on the right before taking on his man and floating a cross towards the penalty spot. It found an unmarked Goodwin, who had done well to peel away from his marker, but he could not generate enough power in his header, and it went straight at Jay Lynch.
The same partnership combined again after a well-worked free-kick routine. James Brophy played the ball in the gap for Ronan Hale to latch onto. He did well to carry it inside before playing it back to Brophy, who had the overlapping run of Freeman to his right. The wing-back got to the byline before floating the ball in, with the oncoming Goodwin outjumping his man and heading into the ground. However, Lynch gathered at the second attempt.
HALF-TIME: Fleetwood Town 0-0 Gillingham
In the 54th minute, Hale smacked the post. Freeman sent the ball forward, which Hale did well to get between two defenders to meet. His first touch took him into the penalty area, where he was positioned near the right corner of the box. From a tight angle, he opted to shoot, sending a piledriver towards the near post. It flew past a diving Lynch, but it hit the outside of the post before going out of play for a goal-kick.
Goodwin forced Lynch into action after Ashley Maynard-Brewer’s long ball caused confusion between two Fleetwood defenders. The loose ball dropped to the forward, who carried it towards the box before shooting from 20 yards out. However, his low drive was straight at the home goalkeeper, who got down to gather.
The Gills continued to ask questions after Kadeem Harris’ pass forward found Goodwin on halfway, which allowed the visitors to break forward. He played it into the feet of Hale, who was one-on-one with a Fleetwood defender. The Northern Ireland international took it to the edge of the penalty area before getting a shot off. However, it took two deflections, which took the sting off the ball, and Lynch went to collect the loose ball.
In the 70th minute, Gillingham were forced into a change when Harris went down after losing the ball. The stretcher was called as he was unable to continue, and he was replaced by Conor McManus, who made his league debut.
Danny Andrew was brought on in the 73rd minute and nearly made an immediate impact. He fizzed a low corner that was short, allowing the oncoming McCann to meet it with a diving header. The ball flew towards the near post, with it smacking the frame of the goal and going behind for a goal-kick.
The hosts began to apply more pressure as they looked to break the deadlock. Crispin McLean made his way into the penalty area and looked to beat Maynard-Brewer at his near post, but the Gills goalkeeper was alert, pushing it behind for a corner that came to nothing.
In the 84th minute, Gillingham made another two changes, with Kendall and Cameron Antwi replacing Hale and Brophy respectively.
Harry Waldock replaced McKenzie in the 88th minute and nearly made an immediate impact. He played a long ball forward, allowing Kendall to chase and get on the end of it. The Millwall loanee used his pace to carry it towards the penalty area before cutting onto his left foot and shooting. His low attempt went just wide of the left-hand post with Lynch rooted to his spot.
Waldock continued to be influential as he nearly created another goal moments later. The young midfielder did well to shield the ball away from his marker before turning him and curling a dangerous low ball towards the penalty spot. Goodwin was at full stretch and got the slightest touch to send it goalward. The ball trickled towards the far post and clipped the woodwork before going behind.
Ched Evans nearly stole a late winner for the hosts. McLean did well to get into a position to get a cross in, delivering it towards the back post, and the experienced forward popped up to guide his header towards the far corner. There were hearts in mouths for a moment, but the looping attempt landed on the roof of the net.
FULL-TIME: Fleetwood Town 0-0 Gillingham
Fleetwood Town: Lynch, Neal, Potter, Bennett, Cannon (McLean 73’), Davies (Loupalo-Bi 73’), Helm, McCann, Evans, Rooney, Cirino (Andrew 73’)
Unused Substitutes: Pradic, Murphy, Costelloe, Dempsey
Gillingham: Maynard-Brewer, Smith, Beckles, Dobbs, Freeman, Albarus, McKenzie (Waldock 88’), Harris (McManus 70’), Hale (Kendall 84’), Brophy (Antwi 84’), Goodwin
Unused Substitutes: Hotlam, Webster, Booth
Referee: Dale Baines
Attendance: 2675 (336 Gills supporters)
