It was a case of a point gained or two dropped as Gillingham drew with Bradford City on Saturday.
Gillingham took the lead through Cody McDonald’s 12th minute strike, but were pegged back as Jordi Hiwula rose unchallenged at a corner to equalise in the 29th.
Ryan Jackson’s late dismissal didn’t affect the score, but it was a case of what might have been.
Gillingham’s manager, Justin Edinburgh, said before the match that he wanted to use three forwards to press high up the pitch and deny Bradford the chance to play out from the back. This proved to be effective for the first 25 minutes, but the numbers forward did leave space for the first chance for the visitors.
With midfielder TImothee Dieng off the pitch for treatment to a head injury, Gillingham lost a contested drop ball, and Nicky Law was given space to raid forward, eventually finding Mark Marshall on the right. The Bradford winger appeared to have been well shepherded by Paul Konchesky, but managed to turn inside onto his left and curl a shot across goal, but wide.
Gillingham made the breakthrough in the 12th minute, with Emmanuel Osadebe heavily involved in the build-up. The midfielder, in for the rested Bradley Dack, fed a ball forward to Rory Donnelly and continued his run to take a return pass. Osadebe rolled a pass into the box to the feet of Cody McDonald, who had worked a yard of space away from former Gill, Romain Vincelot. McDonald took a touch to shift the ball to his right and rifled a shot into the top right corner.
With confidence flowing through the team, Gillingham created further half-chances for Donnelly (header) and Deji Oshilaja (attempted shot) but neither could work Colin Doyle in the Bantams goal.
Osadebe was also prominent in his defensive third, blocking a cross from Marshall on the right, then charging down a shot from the fit again Dieng, as Gillingham appeared to be far more organised.
Bantams’ manager, Stuart McCall, was busy making tactical adjustments to his team, and Bradford started getting the ball forward quicker, by-passing the Gillingham high press. Law in particular was revelling in his new role, releasing Marshall on the left, with the wide man earning a corner. Law’s delivery was glanced into the far corner by Hiwula, who was unchallenged in front of the Rainham End.
The home crowd quickly started showing their frustration as Bradford players roamed through the midfield area; Josh Cullen being allowed to run from halfway, before shooting tamely at Jonathan Bond, when he had better options available.
Two of the Gillingham back four, Ryan Jackson and Oshilaja picked up bookings as the defending became more and more desperate. Paul Konchesky came close to joining them, but timed his sliding challenge on Billy Sharp impeccably, after Bradford had broken quickly from a Gillingham throw by their right corner flag.
In a repeat of the first period, Gillingham applied early pressure to their visitors, but Law blocked a shot from Mark Byrne on the edge of the box, leading to a Bantams’ counter-attack that ended with Hiwula’s run being blocked by Max Ehmer. Gillingham struggled to clear the corner, which led to a shot from Dieng that curled away from the goal.
Bradford followed this up with an even closer effort from Cullen, whose run to the edge of the area allowed him to drive a shot that slid past the left upright.
Midway through the half, following the introduction of a combative Scott Wagstaff for his debut, Gillingham suddenly had a period of sustained pressure. Osadebe broke up play in the middle of the park, allowing Jay Emmanuel-Thomas to charge forward. His shot though was tamely directed at Doyle, as moments later was a similar effort by Osadebe.
Byrne also fired a shot wide from inside the area, before arguably Gillingham’s best chance of the match. Jackson’s cross from the right found its way to the feet of Ehmer, 6 yards out, level with the back post. The centre back controlled and shot in one motion, with Stephen Darby sliding in to deflect the effort for a corner.
Bradford replaced the whole of their forward line to try to regain a foothold in the game, and two of them combined well with 6 minutes left. Darby’s ball into the right channel saw Mark McNulty out –muscle Oshilaja to break into the area. McNulty laid the ball into the path of James Hanson for a first time shot, but Ehmer threw himself in the way to deflect the shot for a corner.
Jonathan Bond, who had little to do in the match, was out bravely to punch away a cross from Filipe Morais with Hanson in close attendance, but it looked like history might repeat itself from the last game against Sheffield United when Ryan Jackson was sent off deep in stoppage time. Dieng played the ball over the top of the Gillingham defence and McNulty manoeuvred himself ahead of Jackson, who impeded the forward’s run.
The official had no option to dismiss Jackson, but chose to give a second yellow, rather than straight red. Law lined up the set piece, but fired over the top from the D, as Gillingham held on for a point.
GILLINGHAM: 30 – Jonathan Bond; 2- Ryan Jackson, 5- Max Ehmer, 6- Deji Oshilaja, 12- Paul Konchesky; 44- Josh Wright, 33- Mark Byrne, 16- Emmanuel Osadebe; 9 Rory Donnelly (7 Scott Wagstaff 57), 10 Cody McDonald (18- Josh Pask 90+4), 50 Jay Emmanuel-Thomas (21- Elliott List 87).
Subs not used: 1- Stuart Nelson, 8 Jake Hessenthaler, 11- Billy Knott, 20- Darren Oldaker.
Goals: Cody McDonald 12
Cautions: Ryan Jackson 38, Deji Oshilaja 44
Sent Off: Ryan Jackson (2nd yellow) 90+2
BRADFORD CITY: 1- Colin Doyle; 2- Stephen Darby, 22 Nathaniel Knight-Percival, 6- Romain Vincelot, 3- James Meredith; 4- Nicky Law, 8- Timothee Dieng, 14- Josh Cullen; 7 Mark Marshall (20- Filipe Morais 75), 10- Billy Clarke (9- James Hanson 77), 11- Jordy Hiwula (18- Mark McNulty 72).
Subs not used: 12- Rouven Sattelmaier, 19- Haris Vuckic, 24- Daniel Devine, 26- Matthew Kilgallon.
Goals: Jordi Hiwula 29
Cautions: James Meredith 53
Attendance: 5,079 (377 away)
Referee: Mr Graham Scott
Assistants: Mr David Bryan and Mr Richard West
Fourth Official: Mr John Busby