Jacob Wakeling scored for Gillingham in his first appearance since joining on loan.
Wakeling – who signed from Peterborough United on Friday – started Saturday’s final pre-season match at Woking and scored the opener in first-half stoppage-time. The hosts equalised shortly after the restart.
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Gillingham could take confidence from having not lost any of their pre-season games prior to a game at Woking, with this one petering out to a draw.
Gillingham were again without injured Armani Little, Elliott Nevitt and Josh Andrews while goalkeeper Jake Turner also sat it out. Ethan Coleman hasn’t been involved all pre-season but was there to watch.
Youth keeper Carter Sullivan stepped in as back-up on the bench but there was good news for the Gills as Jonny Williams returned to the line-up, in what was a decent-looking XI despite the absences.
Wakeling started in a familiar 4-2-3-1 set-up, leading the attack as Aaron Rowe and Jack Nolan played either side of Williams in support.
The Gills – one week away from kicking off their League 2 campaign – started brightly against their National League hosts with Nolan and Tim Dieng shooting wide and Wakeling putting a tame effort into the home keeper’s arms.
Woking grew in confidence as the half went on and Max Ehmer needed to make a couple of important blocks.
Jamie Andrews diverted Jermaine Anderson’s free-kick narrowly wide and Woking centre-half Max Dyche also went close to scoring.
But it was the Gills who went into the break ahead.
Max Clark had played several good balls forward throughout the half, and it was from his cross that the Gills took the lead, Wakeling leaping well to nod home past goalkeeper Will Jaaskelainen.
Robbie McKenzie had to clear off his own line moments into the second half after a corner dropped in the box and led to a scramble.
Gills keeper Glenn Morris got a touch on a low shot that almost crept in and Woking’s quick start to the second half paid off as they got level on 48 minutes.
It was a goal pretty similar to the Gills, a cross from the left by Dyche headed in by Charley Kendall.
McKenzie went close to restoring Gillingham’s lead, meeting Nolan’s corner with his head and forcing Jaaskelainen into tipping the ball over.
It needed the combined efforts of Clark and Remeao Hutton to stop Woking breaking forward and in a league game the foul might have given the referee something to think about, as the home forward looked like he’d squirmed through on goal.
Both teams made plenty of changes in the final half hour, hampering the flow of the game, as the match ended level.
Woking: Jaaskelainen, Moss (Trialist 58mins), Odusina, Harries, Dyche, Lewis (Jones 83mins), Anderson (Beautyman 46mins), Akinola, Andrews, Kendall (Trialist 58mins), Trialist. Sub not used: Smith.
Gillingham: Morris, Hutton, Clark, Ehmer, Masterson (Ogie 63mins), McKenzie, Dieng (Hawkins 78mins), Nolan (E Williams 78mins), Rowe (Clarke 63mins), J Williams (Lapslie 63mins), Wakeling (Wyllie 63mins). Subs not used: Sullivan, Gbode.
Attendance: 765 (240 away)
