Danny Kedwell was spot on for Gillingham who had to come from behind to rescue a point on Saturday.

Port Vale took the lead in the 33rd minute when Marc Richards bundled the ball home, but Kedwell earnt the home side a much needed point with his 63rd minute penalty.

The game’s main talking point arrived on 61 minutes after Vale winger Rob Taylor rashly hacked down Frank Nouble just inside the visitor’s box to concede the penalty.

Danny Kedwell’s spot-kick was brilliantly saved by Vale stopper Stuart Tomlinson who dived to his left to beat the ball away to safety. But referee Simon Hooper ruled that the penalty had to be re-taken after one of his assistants, Stephen Rubery, advised him that Tomlinson had illegally encroached off his line

And Kedwell made no mistake at the second attempt as he sent Tomlinson the wrong way by sending the ball into the opposite left-hand corner. It was a harsh outcome for Vale who had worked so hard to combat Gillingham’s potent attacking threats, but they were ultimately denied all three points.

Vale boss Micky Adams, who started his playing career at Priestfield, was forced into just one change following last week’s 2-0 home win over Rotherham. Right wing-back Rob Kozluk was struck down by a virus on Thursday, which meant fellow defender Adam Yates was handed a recall.

As for The Gills, they made five changes to the side that were knocked out of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy by Barnet on Tuesday night with Matt Fish, Garry Richards and Joe Martin all passing late fitness tests.

Charlie Lee returned in midfield following his suspension with Nouble playing down the right in a three man attack.

Gillingham posed the far greater threat in the opening 20 minutes as the visitors struggled to retain possession for prolonged periods.

Tomlinson hesitated in dealing with Clayton McDonald’s first-minute back-pass. Kedwell charged down Tomlinson’s clearance but the ball rebounded off the Gills striker and out of play.

On six minutes, Gills midfielder Charlie Lee nut-megged Doug Loft but his ambitious 20-yard chip was gathered by Tomlinson. Yates’s long throw was flicked on into the path of striker Ben Williamson whose goal-bound volley was deflected to safety.

Gills attacker Jo Kuffour turned his marker on 16 minutes but his subsequent strike flew high and wide. Dangerous Gills midfielder Luke Rooney let fly from 25 yards but his effort was deflected over by Anthony Griffith.

Vale’s first shot on target arrived on 24 minutes when Doug Loft’s low drive, from the left side of the box, was collected by Gills stopper Ross Flitney. Two minutes later, Yates headed Loft’s cross into the path of striker Tom Pope whose own header crashed against the bar.

Vale had fought their way back into the contest to make it a much tighter affair. Pope’s 20-yard shot was saved by Flitney before Adams’s men took the lead from McDonald’s long diagonal 33rd-minute delivery.

Pope headed the ball back across goal from the far right-hand post, and into the path of Richards who stabbed the ball home from close range.

Vale shaded the last 25 minutes of the first half although Rooney and Gillingham’s on-loan West Ham attacker Nouble missed half chances before the first period drew to a close.

The dynamic Rooney saw his 14-yard shot deflected over by centre-back Liam Chilvers a few minutes after the re-start. Soon after, Loft’s deflected effort just missed the target.

On 57 minutes, Kedwell headed over a corner before Adams withdrew Williamson to unleash midfielder Sam Morsy from his substitutes’ bench. After Kedwell levelled from the spot, Pope’s long-range effort on 74 minutes was palmed away by Flitney before Loft fired wide.

Near the end Tomlinson did well to tip over Fish’s fierce drive from an acute angle before Vale were forced to settle for a draw.

FULL TIME: GILLINGHAM 1-1 PORT VALE

Saturday’s point sees Gillingham drop two places to tenth in League Two, some seven points behind leaders Southend with a trip to Torquay to come for Andy Hessenthaler’s side next Saturday.

Gillingham line up: Flitney, Fish, Richards, Lawrence, Martin, Nouble, Lee (Whelpdale 55), Weston, Rooney (Oli 83), Kuffour (s Payne 76), Kedwell.

Subs not used: Gazzaniga, Davies.

Goal: Kedwell (pen 63).

Booked: Rooney (82).

Port Vale line up: Tomlinson, Yates, Owen, McDonald, Chilvers, Taylor, Griffith, Loft (Dodds 87), Richards, Pope (Rigg 82), Williamson (Morsy 57).

Subs not used: Martin, McCombe.

Goal: Richards (33).

Booked: Chilvers (45+2), Morsy (88).

Referee: Mr Hooper

Attendance: 4,676 (201 Port Vale).