Gillingham’s run of defeats came to an end at Tranmere and they registered a goal too.
The Gills were looking to revive their promotion push and fell behind to Sol Solomon’s tap-in after 17 minutes but levelled it up from an own-goal just before the break. No goals were scored in a tense second half as the game finished 1-1.
Gillingham started the afternoon with their play-off hopes getting harder by the day. They badly needed a positive result against lowly Tranmere to give everyone a much-needed boost.
Earlier matches in the division had seen the Gills drop to 17th before kick-off, needing to make up 13 points to get into the top seven.
Key to reviving their promotion bid is scoring goals. They went into the weekend without a goal or a point in their previous four games.
An own-goal ended their run without scoring and a draw at Tranmere at least stopped the losing run for the Gills.
Hosts Tranmere started the weekend with the division’s worst goal tally of just 18 but looked the more threatening during the opening half and deservedly took a 17th minute lead.
Gillingham hadn’t stared with the kind of intensity that they had the week before.
It was a fairly simple goal for the hosts, with freedom in midfield for Connor Jennings to play in Omari Patrick, who then won the foot-race with Gillingham’s right wing-back Remeao Hutton before crossing the ball into the box where Solomon side footed home without being challenged.
The Gills were without injured Crystal Palace loan signing Asher Agbinone but did have some new blood in their ranks in 22-year-old midfielder Nelson Khumbeni and on-loan 19-year-old Chelsea forward Jimmy-Jay Morgan making their debuts as starters.
Morgan was making his Football League debut and found himself being fouled fairly frequently, finding out the physicalities of a League 2 battle early on.
He had a couple of half chances to score, with a shot blocked and then heading at the keeper after Bradley Dack recycled and got a cross into the box. His afternoon was to end with around 20 minutes left, hobbling off the pitch shortly after receiving treatment to his right ankle.
Tranmere were managing to find the space to produce a number of promising attacks in the opening half but lacked the cutting edge expected from a side struggling for goals.
Patrick went close shortly after the home side’s opener and several other shots were lashed wide.
Despite being second best in the half the Gills had still been able to create a few promising moments.
Dack was unable to get his footing right from a good run and cross from Shad Ogie but he was the provider of the cross that led to a 44th minute equaliser.
From Dack’s low ball in, Jordan Turnbull could only turn the ball into his own net as Morgan and others threatened to pounce.
A positive start to the second half from Gillingham saw Armani Little fire wide and McKenzie head the wrong side of the upright.
Gillingham were lacking the quality to make the pressure count and Jack Nolan thumped another effort well over the bar.
Tranmere fans were calling for a penalty after Ogie cleared a corner, those supporters in the big home end feeling he handled the ball before clearing.
Coleman switched from wing-backs to 4-4-2 with an hour gone.
The home side were starting to grow in confidence again and Max Ehmer needed to make a crucial challenge to stop Davison from having a close-range shot.
McKenzie tried his luck from distance for the Gills but the effort was blocked and nothing came of the resultant corner.
Tranmere sub Harvey Saunders wasted a glorious chance for the home side when outnumbering the Gills on the break, choosing to go it alone and had his shot blocked.
Gillingham were hanging on in the latter stages but reached full-time level to claim a point.
League 2 table
Gillingham: Morris, Hutton, Ogie, Ehmer, McKenzie, Khumbeni (Clark 58mins), Little, Dack, Nolan (Clarke 80mins), Nevitt, Morgan (Hawkins 73mins). Subs not used: J Williams, Coleman, Turner, Gbode.
Tranmere: McGee, Norman, Davies, Turnbull, Morris (Finley 46mins), Davison (Dennis 79mins), Jennings, Solomon, Wood, Khan (Saunders 79mins), Patrick (Hawkes 79mins). Subs not used: Murphy, Bradshaw, O’Connor.
Referee: Michael Barlow
Attendance: TBC
