Gillingham climbed back into the League Two play-off places on Good Friday despite being held to a goalless draw at Priestfield by play-off rivals Crewe Alexandra. 

The draw maintains Stephen Clemence’s side unbeaten run at home, but it was another two points dropped that the Head Coach could still rue in a few weeks’ time. 

Clemence though will have been pleased with the way his charges restricted the Alex and in truth apart from one spell early in the second half, it was the home side who were looking for the win. 

Ethan Coleman and Conor Masterson returned to the eleven whilst Jonny Williams passed a fitness test to play, and Josh Andrews was named on the bench for the first time at home. 

The first half was as tight and as close as you would expect from play-off chasers at this stage of the season, Tim Dieng’s early header was brilliantly kept out by keeper Tom Booth in the half’s clearest chance.

Whilst there were loud home shouts for a penalty after Romeao Hutton’s cross “stuck” a Crewe hand, and just before the break, Masterson headed a free kick back across goal but there wasn’t a blue shirt to apply any positive touch. 

Crewe started the second period on top and but for an utterly amazing save from Glenn Morris would have taken the lead just before the hour. Rio Adebisi’s low centre was turned goalwards by Elliott Nevitt only for Morris to show incredible agility to keep the effort out before recovering splendidly to fall on the rebound. 

Andrews came on for his Priestfield bow with just over twenty minutes left and came within a whisker of his first goal in Gillingham blue as he met Hutton’s free kick with a looping header that Booth did remarkably well to keep out, furiously back pedaling to tip the ball over the bar. 

Late on, Masterson and sub-Josh Walker had efforts on the Crewe goal but did not trouble Booth as both sides had to settle for a point. 

A point that lifts the Gills into the coveted seventh place as Crawley were beaten at home by Doncaster. Clemence now leads his side to Yorkshire over the weekend for Monday’s game at Harrogate as the race for the play-offs takes yet more twists.

GILLINGHAM – Morris, Hutton, Ehmer, Masterson, Max Clark (Malone), Coleman, Dieng, Mahoney, Lapslie (Jayden Clarke), Jonny Williams (Walker), Hawkins (Andrews) 

Subs – Turner, McKenzie, Ogie 

CREWE ALEXANDRA – Booth, Cooney, Turns, Demetriou, Adebisi, Austerfield, Thomas (Holicek), Tracey (Billington), Leigh (Long), Rowe (Zac Williams), Nevitt 

Subs – Davies, Finney, Kirk  

REFEREE – Mr Reeves 

Image courtesy of Gillingham FC