Arthur Read’s late penalty cancelled out Robbie McKenzie’s second-half goal as Gillingham ended 2025 with a 1-1 draw against Colchester United at the MEMS Priestfield Stadium on Monday night.
Gills went in front with 15 minutes remaining when McKenzie’s smart first time finish found the bottom right corner.
However, Colchester equalised after 87 minutes when Read slotted his penalty into the left side of the net, sending Jake Turner the wrong way.
Gareth Ainsworth made four changes to the team that drew with Cambridge United on Boxing Day, as Bradley Dack returned to the starting XI. Conor Masterson made his long-awaited return to the team, while Seb Palmer-Houlden and Sam Vokes started in attack.
Max Clark, Ethan Coleman, Josh Andrews and Elliott Nevitt were among the substitutes, and Glenn Morris was named on the bench, making his first appearance in the matchday squad since suffering an injury against Salford.
Rob Hunt had the first chance of the game after four minutes. He received the ball from distance with time before shifting it onto his left foot and sending a low drive goalward. Hunt’s attempt was directed towards the bottom right corner, going wide of the post with Jake Turner having it covered.
In the 15th minute, Harry Anderson had a big chance to give the visitors the lead. Read was able to run through the middle towards the Gillingham penalty area, as Colchester had the numbers advantage. Read laid it off to Anderson, who was to his left. Fortunately, his shot was straight at Turner, who gathered with relative ease.
Ellis Iandolo tried his luck from over 25 yards out when he received the ball with time and space. However, his shot was always rising, and it flew over the goal.
Aaron Rowe saw a shot deflected over the crossbar on the half-hour. Palmer-Houlden shifted the ball to Rowe, who took the ball into the box before getting a shot away with his left foot. His effort took a deflection off a Colchester player who had closed him down before it went out for a corner, which came to nothing.
Turner showed excellent reflexes to deny Colchester twice in a matter of seconds. A corner from the left dropped on the edge of the six-yard box before Vokes’ attempted clearance was blocked by Jack Payne. The ball was heading towards the bottom right corner, but Turner reacted quickly to get across and push it away from the goal.
Seconds later, the ball dropped to Teddy Bishop, who sent a piledriver goalward. Turner saw it late, but stood his ground and got two solid hands behind the effort to push it up into the air before he was fouled when trying to gather the rebound.
Shortly before half-time, Turner was alert to keep the ball out of the goal. A corner into the box was headed out as far as Hunt, who sent a low drive into the six-yard box. Kyreece Lisbie prodded it goalward from close range, but Turner gathered it on his line.
HALF-TIME: Gillingham 0-0 Colchester United
The hosts started the second-half brightly, as Dack saw a ball across the box deflected. It fell to McKenzie, who could not strike it cleanly, and the ball found its way to Palmer-Houlden on the edge of the six-yard box, who sent it goalward. However, he was in an offside position, and his attempt was saved by the oncoming Matt Macey.
In the 53rd minute, Gale hit the post. Gills had a free-kick to the right of the penalty area, which Dack curled towards the back post. It found an unmarked Sam Gale, who headed goalward. The ball bounced into the ground before hitting the face of the woodwork, and Colchester cleared their lines.
Moments later, Dack forced Macey into a save. Rowe did well to win possession high up the pitch before Andy Smith received the ball on the left side of the penalty area. He laid it off for the oncoming Dack, who saw his shot comfortably saved by Macey.
In the 58th minute, Gills made their first substitution, as Andrews replaced Vokes.
The hosts made their second change ten minutes later, as Nevitt replaced Palmer-Houlden.
In the 74th minute, Robbie McKenzie put Gillingham in front. Rowe did well to carry the ball down the left before squaring it to McKenzie, who was 12 yards out. He let the ball run across his body before side-footing a first time effort into the bottom right corner of the net past the diving Macey.
Lisbie did well in response to get a shot away after making a bursting run down the left wing. He made his way into the penalty area before shooting, but it lacked the power to test Turner, who gathered it comfortably.
Colchester were awarded a penalty with five minutes remaining. A cross from the right was angled towards the back post, where multiple bodies were waiting. There was a tangle that saw a couple of players end up on the floor, and the referee pointed to the penalty spot.
Read stepped up to take the spot kick and brought the visitors back onto level terms, slotting his attempt in the left side of the goal with Turner going the other way.
In the last minute of regulation, Gillingham made their final two changes, as Coleman and Jonny Williams replaced Masterson and Dack.
Nevitt saw his shot deflected just wide of the near post when the ball was knocked down to him just inside the penalty area. He shifted it onto his right foot before firing it goalward, but the slight deflection carried it wide of the target.
Gills tried to muster one final chance to find a late winner, but were unable to do so, and the game ended all square.
FULL-TIME: Gillingham 1-1 Colchester United
Gillingham: Turner, Hutton, A. Smith, Masterson (Coleman 90’), Gale, Rowe, McKenzie, Little, Dack (J. Williams 90’), Palmer-Houlden (Nevitt 68’), Vokes (Andrews 58’)
Unused Substitutes: Morris, Ogie, Clark
Colchester United: Macey, Hunt, Iandolo, Tucker, Anderson (Edwards 68’), Bishop, Payne (Goodwin 82’), Lisbie (Vincent-Young 90+6’), Read, Harvey Araujo, Mbick (Tovide 81’)
Unused Substitutes: Smith, Gape, Terry
Referee: Matthew Russell
Attendance: 7284 (930 away)
