Bradley Dack and Robbie McKenzie gave Gillingham the lead on two occasions, but Crawley fought back twice, with the points being shared in a 2-2 draw at the MEMS Priestfield Stadium on Saturday.
Gills took the lead at the end of the first-half when Max Clark passed a corner into the box, finding Dack, who rifled a shot into the top corner at the near post.
Crawley equalised shortly after half-time through Geraldo Bajrami, but the hosts responded immediately from the penalty spot. Clark’s powerful strike had three players diving to block it, with the referee believing it had come off an arm. McKenzie took the spot kick, drilling his attempt into the bottom left corner despite Joe Wollacott guessing the correct way.
In the 82nd minute, Kabongo Tshimanga scored minutes after coming off the bench when he met Josh Flint’s low ball across the six-yard box and slotted it into the back of the net.
Garath McCleary came into the starting XI, making his first start for the Football Club. Bradley Dack also came into the line-up, as Elliott Nevitt missed the game due to suspension, and Seb Palmer-Houlden missed the game due to injury.
Jonny Williams returned to the matchday squad, being named among the substitutes.
Jake Turner did well to deny Josh Flint in the sixth minute. Crawley broke forward after a Gillingham corner, having a four-on-one advantage. Reece Brown carried it towards the box before playing Flint through. He held off McCleary, who had sprinted back before getting a shot away. However, Turner was quick off his line to block the attempt.
The visitors came inches away from taking the lead after 12 minutes. Charlie Barker’s cross from the right was met by Bajrami, who met the ball unchallenged. He headed it towards the far corner, with the ball bouncing off the foot of the post before coming back into the hands of Turner.
Barker forced Turner into a save moments later. He was afforded the time and space to set himself before shooting from 25 yards. His attempt bounced just in front of the Gillingham goalkeeper, who had to get down and parry it away from the danger.
In the 27th minute, Max Clark tried his luck. A cross was headed out as far as the left-back, with the ball sitting nicely for him. He was encouraged to shoot by the home supporters after his heroics from the week prior, but his attempt cleared the crossbar.
Joe Wollacott had to make two saves in quick succession to keep the score level. The first save came when Clark’s lofted ball was headed back towards Remeao Hutton, who was in space. He fired a half-volley goalward at the near post, with Wollacott palming it away. The rebound dropped to Nelson Khumbeni, who prodded it back towards the goal, with the Crawley goalkeeper reacting quickly to save again. The loose ball was contested between Josh Andrews and a couple of defenders, with it deflecting off the forward and out for a goal-kick.
Ade Adeyemo saw his low drive deflected onto the crossbar as Crawley were inches away from opening the scoring. Adeyemo received the ball just outside the penalty area before turning and getting a shot away. His apparent low drive was deflected by Andy Smith, which carried it onto the face of the crossbar before Clark eventually cleared.
Shortly before half-time, Sam Gale had a great chance to score. Hutton shaped to take a long throw before going shot to Clark, who curled it towards the six-yard box. It just missed the head of Andy Smith before finding Gale at the back post. The ball bounced just before the Gillingham academy graduate got to it, making it more difficult to angle his header, and it went over the top as a result.
McCleary was denied by a brilliant save during first-half stoppage time. He did well to get in behind the Crawley defence, latching onto a loose ball before prodding it towards the goal. Wollacott did well to react quickly and got down to make the save, as it eventually went behind for a corner.
From the resulting corner, Dack blasted Gillingham in front. Clark passed the ball towards Dack, who had gotten away from a defender before firing a first-time effort into the top corner, leaving Wollacott with no chance of keeping it out at full-stretch.
HALF-TIME: Gillingham 1-0 Crawley Town
Dack thought he had doubled his, and Gillingham’s, tally in the opening stages of the second half. Clark’s corner was cleared, but came back to the left-back, who played the ball back into the penalty area. It found an unmarked Dack, whose diving header beat Wollacott. Unfortunately, the linesman’s flag was already raised for offside.
The hosts found themselves in an offside position again as Andrews hit the post. Dack’s pass down the line allowed McCleary to drive into the Crawley half before he switched it over to McKenzie, who played a first-time pass through for Andrews. The striker was in an offside position before getting his shot away, with it hitting the post.
Bajrami equalised for the visitors in the 52nd minute. Harry Forster’s corner found the head of the defender, who guided the ball into the far corner of the goal, leaving Turner rooted to his spot with his view impeded.
Moments later, Gillingham were awarded a penalty. McCleary’s lofted cross made its way out to Clark, who rifled a shot goalward. Multiple Crawley defenders made sliding attempts to block the ball, with the referee believing it had come off the arm of a defender, and the referee pointed to the spot.
Robbie McKenzie scored his first goal of the season from the resulting penalty to restore the Gillingham advantage. He kept his cool, drilling his attempt into the bottom left corner and out of the reach of Wollacott, who had guessed the correct way.
Turner had to be alert to deny Louis Flower soon after. The ball was floated in from the left, with Flower rising highest. His attempt was towards the left corner, but Turner got across, getting two solid hands behind the ball as he palmed it away.
In the 72nd minute, Turner was called into action again. Adeyemo made his way into the penalty area, getting beyond several players before getting a shot away from a tight angle. His attempt had the power behind it, but Turner got down to push it away from the goal.
Gills made their first change in the 73rd minute, as Jonny Williams replaced Nelson Khumbeni.
The hosts made three more changes, as Sam Vokes, Jonny Smith and Aaron Rowe replaced Andrews, McCleary and Dack respectively.
Kabongo Tshimanga, who had replaced Brown four minutes prior, brought Crawley back onto level terms. Flint made his way into the penalty area before playing a low ball across the six-yard box for Tshimanga to slot into the back of the net from close range.
The visitors nearly turned the game on its head a couple of minutes later. They countered after Gillingham had committed men forward, leaving a three-on-one. The ball was centred for Flowers, who had the time to take a touch before getting a shot away. However, he was denied by Turner, who made another impressive save.
Gills had to dig in deep for the final minutes, as Crawley applied the pressure in search of a late winner, but the hosts stood firm, with the game ending all square.
FULL-TIME: Gillingham 2-2 Crawley Town
Gillingham: Turner, Hutton, A. Smith, Gale, Clark, Coleman, McKenzie, Khumbeni (J. Williams 73’), Dack (J. Smith 79’), McCleary (Rowe 78’), Andrews (Vokes 78’)
Unused Substitutes: Holtam, Akomeah, Wyllie
Crawley Town: Wollacott, Bajrami, Barker, Anderson (Roles 36’), Forster, Brown (Tshimanga 78’), Flower, Adeyemo, Williams, Watson, Flint
Unused Substitutes: Davies, Mukena, Kotey, Robertson
Referee: Paul Howard
Attendance: 6252 (395 away fans)
