Elliott Nevitt came off the bench, on his 50th appearance, to score a last-second equaliser to save a point as Gillingham drew 1-1 with Cheltenham Town at the MEMS Priestfield Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Despite the hosts' pressure on the visiting penalty area throughout the game, it was Cheltenham that took a late lead through Sam Sherring. Isaac Hutchinson’s shot from over 20 yards out crashed off the crossbar before Sherring reacted the quickest to head the rebound into the back of the net.
With time running out, Nevitt produced a brilliant finish to bring the Gills back onto level terms, scoring his first goal of the season. The ball was lofted towards the penalty area, ricocheting around the edge of the box, before it dropped to Nevitt. He struck the ball first time, sending his low drive into the bottom left corner, squeezing it past the diving Joe Day.
Seb Palmer-Houlden and Sam Vokes were both named in the starting XI, making their first league starts for the Football Club. Max Clark returned to the line-up in the place of Aaron Rowe, who missed out.
Bradley Dack and Marcus Wyllie returned to the matchday squad, while Nevitt was named among the substitutes. Josh Andrews missed the game due to suspension.
Palmer-Houlden forced Day into action in the opening seconds when he smashed a shot goalward from 18 yards. The Cheltenham goalkeeper was equal to it, palming behind for a corner, which came to nothing.
Gills continued the early pressure after good build-up play. Robbie McKenzie took control of a loose ball before playing it out to Remeao Hutton on the right. The Gills captain on the day continued running, getting in behind the Cheltenham defence and into the penalty area. Hutton gave him the ball back before McKenzie cut it back to Vokes, who prodded the ball into the side netting.
A Max Clark corner caused the visitors problems in the 15th minute. He curled it deep towards the back post, finding Vokes. He headed it back towards the six-yard box, with the ball being palmed by Day. It caused a mini scramble before the visitors cleared their lines.
Vokes had another good opportunity when a Hutton throw was allowed to bounce inside the penalty area. The former Wales international did well to bring it under control before shooting, with his attempt straight at Day.
Luke Young tried his luck when the ball was cut back to him on the edge of the penalty area. His first time low drive across the goal went beyond a couple of Gills defenders before going wide of the target.
Glenn Morris made a fantastic save moments later. Cheltenham broke forward through Ethon Archer, who cut inside onto his right foot before curling a shot goalward. It took a deflection off a Gills defender, angling it towards the far corner. Morris did well to adjust, getting across to push it around the post for a corner, which came to nothing.
In the 39th minute, Shad Ogie had a chance. Clark curled a corner towards the penalty spot, which Ogie met unmarked. He headed it goalward, but his attempt was at Day in the Cheltenham goal.
The hosts' hearts were in their mouths when Isaac Hutchinson received the ball in space inside the penalty area. The midfielder struck a fierce effort towards the bottom left corner, which looked destined to end up in the back of the net. Fortunately, it rattled the face of the post.
HALF-TIME: Gillingham 0-0 Cheltenham Town
Vokes was unlucky not to get a shot away in the opening minutes of the second period. Hutton got down the right-hand side before floating a cross into the penalty area, finding Clark. The left-back volleyed it down into the ground back across the box, reaching Vokes. Unfortunately, the striker was unable to adjust in time to make contact with the ball.
Jonny Williams hit the crossbar directly from his corner in the 63rd minute. He curled the set piece from the left, and with the ball carrying towards the goal, it evaded the Cheltenham goalkeeper before hitting the face of the woodwork and bouncing out of play for a throw.
Gillingham made their first change in the 71st minute, as Nevitt replaced Palmer-Houlden.
Nevitt nearly opened the scoring three minutes later when Vokes’ knockdown found him inside the penalty area. However, after doing well to get the ball out of his feet, he could not generate the power behind his shot to test Day, who got down to gather.
The hosts made two more changes in the 81st minute with Dack and Wyllie replacing Jonny Williams and Vokes respectively.
In the 87th minute, Sam Sherring scored for Cheltenham. Hutchinson tried his luck from 25 yards, with his attempt cannoning off the crossbar. Sherring reacted the quickest and headed the ball into the back of the net.
Hutton forced Day into a save soon after when the ball came to the right-back inside the penalty area, and his effort across the goal was palmed away.
The visitors could not properly clear their lines, and it came out to McKenzie, who tried his luck, with his attempt from distance curling just over the crossbar.
In the final seconds, Nevitt scored his first goal of the season. The ball was lofted towards the edge of the penalty area, and Cheltenham could not clear their lines. It ricocheted around before Nevitt took a snapshot from 18 yards. His shot squeezed beyond Day and found the bottom left corner of the net.
FULL-TIME: Gillingham 1-1 Cheltenham Town
Gillingham: Morris, Hutton, Gale, A. Smith, Ogie, Clark (Cirino 88’), Coleman, McKenzie, J. Williams (Dack 81’), Palmer-Houlden (Nevitt 71’), Vokes (Wyllie 81’)
Unused Substitutes: Turner, Akomeah, Khumbeni
Cheltenham Town: Day, Jude-Boyd, Wilson, Sherring, Tomkinson, Stevenson, Young, Hutchinson, Archer (Kinsella 90’), Bickerstaff (Taylor 68’), Martin (Thomas 61’)
Unused Substitutes: Diallo, Power, Harmon, Broom
Referee: Alex Chilowicz
Attendance: 6038 (143 away fans)
