Gillingham began life without Ady Pennock with a dreary 0-0 draw at home to Scunthorpe United on Tuesday night.

In a game of little incident, the Gills, who parted company with boss Pennock on Monday, had the better of the first half, going close through Sean Clare and Alex Lacey whilst also having a penalty appeal turned down.

It was Peter Taylor in the dugout following Pennock’s departure and he picked a defensive looking line up with Elliott List given a rare starting place.

Scunthorpe improved after the break, seeing Duane Holmes’ drive well saved by Tomas Holy, and Tom Hopper could have stolen the points for the Iron late on but Holy was not to be beaten.

The hosts shaded the first half and Clare almost gave them the lead inside two minutes but the midfielder failed to get on the end of Elliott List’s low cross from the right.

Lacey’s shot on the stretch went just over following Ben Nugent’s neat flick-on from a Clare corner after 39 minutes, while Holmes’ fierce effort was well saved by the classy Holy in the 48th minute.

Hopper’s clever turn and shot required the Czech keeper to be on full alert in an uneventful second half where neither side could fashion a winner.

The point keeps Gills 22nd in League One and Peter Taylor will pick this side once again when they head to Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.

 

Gillingham line up: Holy, O’Neill (Parker 17), Ogilvie, Lacey, Nugent, Zakuani, Ehmer, Hessenthaler, Byrne, Clare (Starkey H/T), List (Nash 70).

Subs not used: Arnold, Oldaker, Simpson, Cundle, Starkey.

Scunthorpe United line up: Gilks, Clarke, Butroid, Wallace, McArdle, Bishop, Ojo (Manton 64), Holmes (Adelakun 85), Morris, Madden (Novak 64), Hopper.

Subs not used: Watson, Crofts, Van Veen, Burgess.

Referee: Mr Antony Coggins.

Attendance: 4,002 (158 Scunthorpe)