Gillingham boss Gareth Ainsworth watched his side come back from two goals down to draw at his old club Shrewsbury.
The Gills twice found themselves two goals behind in the League 2 match, but stayed in touch thanks to an own-goal in the first half and a Robbie McKenzie penalty after the break. Elliott Nevitt headed in to make it 3-3 after 86 minutes.
Lowly Shrewsbury had won their previous three at home without conceding, and they were too good for the Gills in the first half at Croud Meadow, but it was a different story after the break.
Nevitt came off the bench – back in the squad after suspension and injury – heading in to grab a late point for the Gills.
Manager Ainsworth was making his first return to his old club, following his decision to ditch the Shrews for Gillingham towards the end of the previous season.
Ainsworth, along with his assistant Richard Dobson, was lured in by the ambition of the Gillingham owners, along with living closer to home. The Gills had met the fee required in the manager’s contract to enable them to take him to Priestfield.
He left a club bottom of League 1, which is where they finished last season.
The Shrewsbury chairman said at the time he had been left in “shock and dismay” at Aisworth’s departure, with the club having, he said, “done everything in its power to persuade Gareth to stay.” They’d offered him a two-year contract extension.
Ainsworth had been sold on a two-year project at Gillingham and led them to a record-breaking unbeaten run, which only ended during a tough October, which coincided with the manager being away from the club while recovering from heart surgery.
Saturday’s game was the first time he’d been back in the dugout since that open-heart surgery, just two months earlier. He’d been expecting to be the pantomime villain, and the home supporters voiced their dislike of the Gills boss throughout.
Striker Sam Vokes was handed only his third third league start for the Gills as he led their attack against the Shrews. The 36-year-old striker replaced winger Aaron Rowe in the line-up, but his afternoon lasted less than half an hour. He limped off with his team already 2-0 down.
Shrewsbury striker George Lloyd was back from injury and took just 11 minutes to make his mark, pouncing early on, after a long throw dropped to him in the box.
With a narrow pitch, the throws were a weapon both sides targeted.
It was 2-0 to the hosts on 22 minutes, a goal that came moments after Tom Anderson had crashed an effort narrowly wide.
Luca Hoole ran at Gillingham’s defence and side-stepped a couple of challenges before firing past Jake Turner.
Gillingham striker Josh Andrews replaced Vokes, and within minutes of his introduction he was appealing to the referee over what he felt should have been a harsher punishment for defender Will Boyle. The Shrewsbury man was the last defender as he fouled the striker, although it was still a long way from goal. Referee Aaron Farmer issued a yellow card.
It looked to be game-on for the Gills when Seb Palmer-Houlden claimed a goal back with 37 minutes gone. He looked to have met a cross from Garath McCleary but it was Sam Stubbs who apparently got on the end of the cross for an own-goal.
Gillingham’s hopes of a fightback faded as Lloyd bagged his second of the game in stoppage-time, slotting home across keeper Turner into the far corner after Anthony Scully had won the ball off Jonny Williams and sent his team-mate in on goal.
Only a super save from Turner prevented Lloyd from adding a third to his own tally before the break after he got on the end of Ismeal Kabia’s cross. The Gills keeper reacted well low down to keep the header out.
Ainsworth sent his same eleven out for the second half, and they started positively enough, as they looked to turn around a 3-1 deficit.
Lenni Cirino and Nelson Khumbeni replaced Williams and Clark as Ainsworth looked to make the most of their dominance with fresh legs.
The Gills got it back to 3-2 on 66 minutes when the referee spotted a foul on Andrews in the box as Dack took a corner and McKenzie stepped up, sending the keeper the wrong way from the spot.
Gillingham continued to control the play, limiting the home side to only brief attacking moments.
Shrewsbury were backs-to-the-wall late on and an equaliser came on 86 minutes when substitute Nevitt headed home McCleary’s cross in front of a jubilant away support.
Gillingham: Turner, Hutton, Clark (Cirino 60mins), Gale, McKenzie, Coleman, J Williams (Khumbeni 60mins), McCleary, Palmer-Houlden (Nevitt 82mins), Dack, Vokes (Andrews 28mins). Subs not used: Holtam, Rowe, Akomeah.
Shrewsbury: Brook, Anderson, Stubbs, Boyle, Hoole, Clucas, Ruffels, England, Lloyd, Scully (Aneke 75mins), Kabia (Marquis 75mins). Subs not used: Harrison, Benning, McDermott, Sang, Perry.
Referee: Aaron Farmer
Attendance: 5,217 (484)
