Gillingham grabbed a point at Accrington after a stoppage-time equaliser scored by Max Clark.
It was a seventh away game in charge for Gills manager John Coleman and he’s still looking for a win. The Gills conceded at the end of the opening half, Benn Ward tapping in from close-range for the hosts following a free-kick, but Clark equalised on 94 minutes.
Coleman was making his return to a club that he and his assistant Jimmy Bell had led to four championship promotions. He admitted before the game he wasn’t looking forward to the match – and had to settle for a point at his old stomping ground.
Despite being sacked a year previously, Coleman and Bell remained popular figures around the Wham Stadium, large banners displaying their faces behind the goal in the home end and fans on their feet pre-match to applaud the pair.
John Doolan, who was first-team coach under Coleman and Bell at Accrington, took over the team last March, initially on a interim basis before agreeing a permanent contract as their manager.
Both teams went into the game with a 10-plus point cushion over the bottom two but not mathematically out of the woods.
Accrington thumped Newport County 5-0 at the Wham Stadium on the Tuesday to boost their hopes of staying clear of trouble.
Coleman stuck with the same starting team which had beaten Bradford City the week before, with Oli Hawkins providing the physicality upfront. There was no room in the squad for ex-Accrington winger Jack Nolan, who was at the game watching with his family.
The hosts enjoyed the better of the chances in the opening half and the Gills had goalkeeper Glenn Morris to thank for keeping the home side out.
For the Gills, Jimmy-Jay Morgan shot wide and Joe Gbode also headed the wrong side of the woodwork . The half ended without a shot on target for Coleman’s men.
Morris was at his best to save full stretch from Ben Woods, stopping a shot that was destined for the top corner, moments after saving with his feet to keep Jake Batty’s effort out.
Devon Matthews also headed wide for the home side and Morris came out of his goal to put Kelsey Mooney off before Accrington took the lead.
Gillingham had a couple of free-kicks from wide of the home box but couldn’t make anything of them. Accrington did, when they had a chance from out wide after Armani Little conceded a foul. A ball was played in low and Ward found space to pounce in the third minute of stoppage-time.
The Gills had two good chances to level from free-kicks just outside the box, with almost an hour gone. Morgan took the first and Robbie McKenzie the second but neither player could beat the Accrington wall.
Gillingham were putting some pressure on with Elliott Nevitt replacing Hawkins but finding a way to test keeper Billy Crellin was proving tricky. Three consecutive corners came and went with Accrington defending well.
Referee Charles Breakspear was kept busy in what was a physical battle, dishing out cards in an attempt to keep a lid on things.
Jacob Wakeling made his first appearance for the Gills under Coleman late on and Nelson Khumbeni also got minutes against his former team but unlocking the Accrington defence continued to prove tough.
Gillingham had seven added-on minutes to try and break the hosts open.
The Gills wasted some good set-piece opportunities throughout and Little played a clever free-kick out into the feet of Clark in the fourth minute of stoppage-time and he smashed the ball home.
Accrington had calls for a penalty after a challenge from Smith on Tyler Walton but the referee played on shortly before blowing his whistle for full-time.
League 2 table
Gillingham: Morris, Masterson (Ehmer 86mins), Smith, Gale, Hutton, Clark, Little, McKenzie (J Williams 86mins), Hawkins (Nevitt 64mins), Morgan (Khumbeni 80mins), Gbode (Wakeling 80mins). Subs not used: Turner, Corness.
Accrington: Crellin, Rawson, Matthews, Ward, Batty (Quirk 72mins), Love, B Woods, Conneely (Coyle 64mins), O’Brien-Whitmarsh (J Woods 64mins), Mooney (Grant 82mins), Walton. Subs not used: Kelly, Caton, Aljofree.
Referee: Charles Breakspear
Attendance: 2,449 (351 away)
