Yet another disappointing defensive display from Gillingham left Ady Pennock still looking for what is becoming an increasingly urgently needed first win as Gills boss.

It came as an old boy sealed AFC Wimbledon a 2-2 draw on a blustery Tuesday night at Priestfield.

After failing to defend a free kick to fall behind early on, the manager’s spirits were lifted as Bradley Dack waltzed through the visitors defence to curl the ball around AFC’s keeper Shea within ninety seconds of his side going behind.

Pennock along with the majority of the just under 5,000 crowd was even happier nine minutes before half time when Josh Wright rammed home Ryan Jackson’s driven cross.

The Gills’ defensive frailties though were, sadly for the manager, exposed yet again when somehow former Priestfield favourite Barcham held off the defence before rolling the ball past the hopelessly wrong-footed Stuart Nelson and into the home net to earn the Dons a point which they probably just about deserved.

But that will be of little comfort to Pennock who watched on helplessly once more as his side yet again conceded goals that were preventable.

Of course in football, all sides concede goals, but the frequency and the regularity that Gillingham are conceding them this season is not only of great concerned to manager, players and supporters alike, but it puts much more pressure on the players further forward to put the ball in the right net, and intensifies the misses.

And this game was to be no different, but early on it looked like it as going to be “just” another disappointing day at the office as an innocuous looking free kick into the Gills box was nodded down by Fitzpatrick for Taylor to hammer the ball home past the statuesque Nelson to give the visitors the early lead.

The Gills response though was instant – and brilliant.

Dack ran onto a Jackson pass before jinking past one defender, leaving another two in his wake before picking his spot and curling the ball majestically round the diving Shea.

Jackson then produced an outstanding piece of defending to deny Fitzpatrick as he raced clear, before the big striker got on the end of a great move down the left between Barcham and Barnett heading the latter’s cross just past Nelson’s right post.

The Gills rallied again and took the lead nine minutes from the break.  Jackson sprinted away down the right onto Dack’s clever through ball and as he fired the ball into the middle, Wright arrived like a steam train driving the ball through the crowd and into the net.

As referee Deadman gave the goal, Shea pursued the official to the halfway line remonstrating all the way – demanding the referee consult his assistant.

And when Deadman did, he still gave the goal much to the keeper’s disgust who promptly talked himself into the referee’s notebook.

The second half began with the visitors in search of an equaliser, and half time sub Nightingale should have levelled the scores on the hour.

Yet incredibly, despite being unmarked in the six yard box, he couldn’t hit the target. There was then a set-back for the home side as Deji Oshilaja hobbled off with Bradley Garmston replacing him at left back.

In what was a closely fought second period, Dack forced Shea to claw the ball out to safety from underneath the bar before the keeper again kept his side in the game by brilliantly denying Rory Donnelly as the striker was put through by Josh Parker – Shea stood his ground and did well to deny Donnelly’s shot.

That save grew in importance when Barcham left Nelson wrong footed moments later after being afforded far too much room in the Gills box as the home side had it all to do again.

They had to do it without Garmston as the sub was helped from the field in the final ten minutes and immediately headed for the dressing room down the touchline in some distress.

Not even the introduction of Cody McDonald off of the bench could lift the home side – although McDonald was only denied by fabulous last ditch defending as he slid in trying desperately to get on the end of Dack’s right wing centre.

Dack, who as rightly named sponsors Man of the Match, then popped up on the left hand side and from his centre this time Byrne headed the ball against the outside of the post.

After the game it emerged that Jay Emmanuel-Thomas’ absence from the bench was explained by the player returning to his parent club – Queens Park Rangers.

It can only be hoped that the released funds from JET’s departure can help bolster the Gills defence before the weekend’s visit of Southend United, who will of course arrive at Priestfield looking for revenge for those two 3-1 defeats that the Gills inflicted on them in the heady and now sadly very distant days of August…

 

Gillingham line up: Nelson, Jackson, Herd, Ehmer, Oshilaja (Garmston 54 (Wagstaff 80)), Donnelly (McDonald 77), Martin, Parker, Dack, Byrne, Wright.

Subs not used: Holy, Hessenthlaer, Osadebe, Muldoon.

Goals: Dack (19), Wright (36).

AFC Wimbledon line up: Shea, Robinson, Francomb, Reeves, Elliott (Barnett 75), Soares, Barcham, Fitzpatrick (Poleon 65), Kelly (Nightingale H/T), Charles, Taylor.

Subs not used: McDonnell, Bulman, Parrett, Owens.

Goals: Taylor (17), Barcham (69).

Booked: Shea (37).

Referee: Mr Darren Deadman

Attendance: 4,956 (512 AFC Wimbledon)