Ronan Hale’s first-half penalty was cancelled out by Keyrol Figueroa’s close-range finish in the second period, as Gillingham and Port Vale played out a 1-1 draw in front of the television cameras at MEMS Priestfield Stadium on Tuesday night.
The Gills were awarded a spot kick on the stroke of half-time when Ethan Coleman showed great determination to get on the end of a loose ball inside the box, beating George Hall to it, and as Coleman reached the ball, he took a whack from Hall and the referee pointed to the spot.
Hale stepped up and made no mistake with his spot kick, drilling his attempt into the bottom left corner. The forward had plenty of pace and power behind his strike, as it nestled into the side netting.
Figueroa equalised for Port Vale after 66 minutes when he capitalised on a defensive mix-up after the Gills could not clear their lines and he got in to prod home from six yards out.
Gareth Ainsworth made four changes to the starting XI that lost to Accrington Stanley. Jack Daley came into the back three to make his first league start, while Conor McManus made his return to league action for the first time since representing the Republic of Ireland Under-21s.
Tom Eaves led the line, and Ethan Coleman partnered Armani Little in the centre of midfield. Harry Waldock and Logan Dobbs were named among the substitutes.
The opening 15 minutes of the game were quiet, with both teams battling to take control of the game. Neither goalkeeper was tested, but Port Vale had a couple of corners while the Gills had one dangerous breakaway led by James Brophy.
Nick Freeman delivered a dangerous low ball after 17 minutes. Eaves did brilliantly to knock a ball forward into Brophy’s path. He waited for Freeman to make the overlapping run before offloading it to the right wing-back, and Freeman settled himself before curling his cross across the face of the goal. Unfortunately, no one was chasing it in to make the definitive contact.
In the 26th minute, Eaves had a half-chance. Freeman cut inside onto his left foot before floating the ball towards the penalty spot. The forward did well to get in between two defenders and met the cross with a header. However, he could not make clear contact and he sent his attempt well wide of the goal.
Max Watters tried his luck from distance when the ball came out to him. A headed clearance went as far as the Port Vale man, who brought it under control before prodding a half-volley goalward. It proved comfortable for Ollie Wright, who gathered.
In the 35th minute, Andy Smith was denied by an excellent save by Marosi. Little swung a free-kick from the right touchline deep into the visiting penalty area. Smith rose the highest to head it towards the goal from six yards out, and Marosi somehow got across to claw it behind for a corner, which came to nothing.
Coleman did brilliantly to win a penalty on the stroke of half-time. His determination to win the ball back inside the penalty area saw him get to it ahead of George Hall, who was attempting to clear his lines, but instead caught the midfielder, leaving the referee no choice but to point to the spot.
From the resulting penalty, Ronan Hale expertly converted. He slammed his spot kick into the bottom left corner, with the ball nestling right into the side netting, leaving Marosi, who guessed the correct way, with little chance of keeping it out.
HALF-TIME: Gillingham 1-0 Port Vale
The hosts should have doubled their advantage soon after the restart. They went short from a free-kick, which allowed Hale to carry forward before shooting from outside the box. It deflected into Eaves’ path, who had done well to remain onside. He slid it goalward, but Marosi had come off his line to block the attempt. The rebound came out to Little, who blasted his first-time shot well over the crossbar.
Oli Lynch had a half-chance when he met a cross from the right that was delivered deep towards the back post. Lynch volleyed it towards the near post, trying to squeeze it beyond Wright, but could only find the side netting.
In the 66th minute, Keyrol Figueroa brought the visitors back on level terms. George Byers curled a ball in behind for Figueroa to meet, but the Gills got multiple players back to prevent the Port Vale man from getting a shot away. However, they could not clear their lines, allowing Figueroa to take advantage and prod home from inside the six-yard box.
Waldock soon entered the game, replacing Coleman.
The hosts made their second change after 74 minutes when Garath McCleary entered the game in place of Hale.
Wright did well to keep out Kyle Dempsey’s free-kick with ten minutes remaining. The ball was positioned centrally a little over 20 yards from the goal, as Dempsey fizzed it up and over the wall. It had plenty of power, but the Southampton loanee had it covered, getting across to push it away.
With six minutes remaining, Gills used their final substitution window, as Michael Luxton and Sheldon Kendall replaced McManus and Eaves.
Neither side tested the opposing goal in the closing minutes, as the game ended all square.
FULL-TIME: Gillingham 1-1 Port Vale
Gillingham: Wright, Smith, Beckles, Daley, Freeman, Coleman (Waldock 70’), Little, McManus (Luxton 84’), Hale (McCleary 74’), Brophy, Eaves (Kendall 84’)
Unused Substitutes: Luthra, Dobbs, Booth
Port Vale: Marosi, John (Headley 66’), Moon, C. Hall, Gabriel, Byers, Garrity (Walters 90’), Hernandez (Lynch 46’), Humphreys, G. Hall (Dempsey 46’), Watters (Figueroa 46’)
Unused Substitutes: Smith, Montsma
Referee: Jamie O’Connor
Attendance: 4866 (138)
