Gillingham drew for the fourth successive game in League 2 in Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off.
Draw specialists Gills collected a point at Colchester, who themselves were aiming to end the day in the top five.
Gills skipper Armani Little returned to the starting line-up after his two-match ban while there was a start for Travis Akomeah in defence and youngster Louie Dayal was on the bench after impressing in the midweek Kent Senior Cup win at Sevenoaks.
The early exchanges saw the Gills concede a series of cheap free-kicks but Colchester were unable to take advantage as their eagerness to get the ball back in play saw them cough up possession cheaply.
Gills were playing with a hybrid defensive system with Aaron Rowe dropping into a five when defending but pushing forward into midfield when the visitors were on the attack.
Rowe was caught out by Kane Vicent-Young after nine minutes and had to trip the full-back, resulting in an early yellow card.
The game sparked into life on 24 minutes when Remeao Hutton picked up a needless yellow card after shoving Kyreece Lisbie in the chest. There was no need as the ball was about to be cleared by Gills keeper Jake Turner, the pair tangling off the ball which alerted the eye of referee Oliver Mackay. Quite why Lisbie went down holding his face only he knows but the challenge sparked an exchange between both managers in the technical area with the official having to calm matters before the free-kick was taken.
Colchester had a great chance to take the lead on 28 minutes when the game’s best move started by Samson Tovide’s backheel saw Micah Mbick cross for Lisbie, whose goalbound shot was diverted wide by Rowe’s excellent block.
Gills had been on the backfoot for the first half-hour but then had two great openings to take the lead.
On 31 minutes, Bradley Dack nodded down a Hutton cross from the right for Rowe, whose goalbound shot was cleared off the line by alert ex-Gills defender Jack Tucker, who was skippering the home side.
Three minutes later, the Gills forced a fine one-handed save from Colchester keeper Matt Macey, who did well to deny Seb Palmer-Houlden after Dack’s low shot was diverted on its way to the target six yards out.
Dack led Gillingham’s improvement in the second half, getting himself further forward than in the opening 45 minutes.
He did brilliantly on 56 minutes to collect McCleary’s pass at full stretch and then got back to his feet before seeing his low shot saved by Macey.
Colchester immediately gave the ball away and Dack’s clever lob then landed on the roof of the net.
Cheered on by more than 800 away fans behind the goal they were attacking, Gills had frustrated the home side with their supporters getting more anxious in the stands.
Colchester rallied in the last 20 minutes and Arthur Read and Mbick both had shots blocked by alert Gills defending.
The hosts had defender Harvey Araujo injured at the start of seven additional minutes and having used all their substitute windows, he had to limp through what remained of the contest.
Keeper Turner flapped at a late free-kick to create panic in the Gills defence but they were back in numbers to clear the danger.
In the end, a draw was probably a fair reflection of what had been a keenly-contested battle.
Colchester: Macey, Vincent-Young, Tucker, Araujo, Iandolo, Lisbie (Edwards 68mins), Bishop (Gape 87mins), Read, Anderson, Tovide (Williams 77mins), Mbick (Goodwin 87mins). Subs not used: Smith, Hunt, Kuffour.
Gillingham: Turner, Hutton, Akomeah (Ogie 79mins), McKenzie, Gale, Rowe (Clark 79mins), Coleman, Little, Dack (J Williams 79mins), McCleary, Palmer-Houlden (Nevitt 69mins). Subs not used: Holtam, Dobbs, Dayal.
Referee: Oliver Mackay.
Attendance: 4,832 (839 away).
