Gillingham manager John Coleman was pleased to see his prayers answered at Accrington on Saturday.
It was an emotional day for the Gills boss, returning to a club with so many memories, and he admitted even before the game he had a moment of reflection.
The Gills looked to be heading for defeat on Saturday until Max Clark popped up with a 94th-minute equaliser thanks to a well-worked free-kick routine engineered by captain Armani Little.
Coleman said: “I must admit, I’d seen a white feather on the pitch before the game. I think Jimmy (Bell, his assistant) picked it up, actually. I did say a prayer to my late mum and dad and my late mother and father-in-law.
“When Lits (Little) chopped it to Max, I’m thinking, ‘Mum, what are you doing?!’ Then, obviously, he’s finished it off.
“I looked up to the sky and thankfully my prayers were answered!”
Accrington fans had banners of Coleman and Bell hung in the home end and sang their names after the match but it was a proper battle on the pitch during the 90-odd minutes.
“I got a bit emotional at the end, to be honest,” Coleman said.
“It was nice that the fans paid tribute to us but we’ve got a job to do with Gillingham, we’re doing our very best to do it and we are very passionate about Gillingham.
“It’s nice to look back now and again and you get some fond memories.
“I didn’t want to come, to be honest. If I could have managed from my armchair on the tele I would have done but having been there now, I’m pleased with the reception that we got and I’m pleased that’s over.”
Accrington went ahead from a set-piece in first-half stoppage-time and the Gills levelled it up in added-on time in the second half. The match finished 1-1.
“I didn’t like the game,” Coleman admitted. “It was reminiscent of a rugby union game to be honest. I’m not blaming either side.
“Both sides were just playing for throw-ins and set-plays into the box. There wasn’t a lot of quality. I think there was a lot of nervous energy for both teams to be honest.
“I think both teams can play better than that. [There wasn’t] much goalmouth action at all.
“Jimmy (Jay-Morgan) had a good little run and just fizzed his shot wide. They’ve had a double chance where Glenn Morris made two great saves and Tyler Walton missed a good chance for them but that’s the sum total of goalmouth incidents in the first half.
“We go to sleep from a free-kick. A good ball in and a good finish by their lad. It’s 1-0 up and it’s a different team ten seconds before half-time.
“I think we took control of the second half. I think we played the game more in their half with very, very sporadic attacks from Accrington in the second half. That’s down to how well we defended and how much we worked hard to try and get second balls and force them back.
“We did force them back. We had lots of entries into their box but not troubling their goalkeeper. That’s what’s plagued us all season and we’ve got to be better when we’re in and around the box.
“I think, in the balance of the play, I think we deserved a draw. Probably not much more than a draw, if I’m honest.”
Coleman added: “I’ve got to thank our fans. They were magnificent, coming again in the numbers. It was an arduous trip. I’m glad they were rewarded with a little bit of happiness at the end.
“[There were] great scenes of celebration when we scored. I was just then thinking we could nick it, when we got another free-kick going in the box, that would have been heaven!”
