Gillingham’s long wait for a win goes on following a goalless draw at bottom side Carlisle United.
Elliott Nevitt hit the underside of the crossbar for Gillingham and also had a big penalty appeal turned down after the break but it’s now 12 games without a win.
Gillingham’s weekend opponents started the day six points from safety and occupying the bottom spot in the table.
The opposing managers went into the match looking for their first wins for their respective clubs, Mark Hughes hoping his side could get some much needed points in their fight against the drop.
Gills manager John Coleman was chasing his first win in eight attempts and made just one change as Joe Gbode replaced Jimmy-Jay Morgan in attack.
Defenders Sam Gale and Remeao Hutton put early efforts wide for the Gills and it was Nevitt who came closest to breaking the deadlock.
Home keeper Gabe Breeze couldn’t hold onto Gbode’s cross, handing the ball on a plate for Nevitt, who was denied by the woodwork.
Breeze got lucky again with a header from Robbie McKenzie that he was unable to hold onto. It was the only on-target chance for either side in the opening half.
Carlisle had dominated the mid-point of the half and looked like they wanted to walk the ball into the net at times. They had a lot of possession in and around the Gills area without Glenn Morris needing to make a save.
Sam Lavelle had a shot that bounced over the bar off a Gills player and with the last play of the half Matthew Dennis headed over.
Coleman made a change at the break and a tweak in midfield with Bradley Dack replacing Corness, the Liverpool loanee having lost out a few times in a physical battle in the middle.
Dennis put an early chance wide in the second half for Carlisle while Nevitt almost turned a low cross from Gbode in at the near post, denied on the line by a covering defender.
The Gills had a few more half chances as McKenzie headed over and Breeze scooped up a shot from Gbode.
Dennis fired one into Morris’ arms at the other end.
Gillingham felt they should have had a penalty when Nevitt was seemingly upended by the keeper as he raced on Gbode’s ball forward. The ref waved play on to the fury of the Gills management team.
Gbode was denied by Breeze with a deflected shot while Dennis continued to be wasteful for the hosts, stabbing a weak shot at Morris from an inviting deep cross.
Substitute Cedwyn Scott headed wide for Carlisle and Morris saved well from Stephen Wearne during a frantic finish as both teams searched for a late winner that never came.
Oli Hawkins headed over for the Gills and Hutton fired over from distance with their last chances of the game in stoppage time.
League 2 table
Gillingham: Morris, Hutton, Clark, Ehmer, Smith, Gale, Little, Corness (Dack 46mins), McKenzie, Nevitt (Khumbeni 90mins), Gbode (Hawkins 74mins). Subs not used: Turner, Nolan, Clarke, Morgan.
Carlisle: Breeze, Davies (Ellis 64mins), Harper, Thomas, Lavelle, Guy (Patching 64mins), Dennis (Hugill 74mins), Bevan (Scott 64mins), Harris, Whelan, Embleton (Wearne 74mins). Subs not used: Lewis, Hayden.
Referee: Scott Jackson
Attendance: 6,976 (402 away)
