Super-sub John Akinde celebrated a year as a Gillingham player with the injury time goal that salvaged Steve Evans side their first home point of 2021 in the 2-2 draw with Rochdale.
Akinde’s brilliantly taken ninety-third minute leveller gained the Gills a share of the spoils after Vadaine Oliver had put the home side in front on the stroke of half time only for the visitors to net twice in six second half minutes as they looked to avenge the 4-1 drubbing that Evans’ side had handed them just before Christmas.
But they reckoned without Akinde’s predatory instinct as Kyle Dempsey’s knock down from Ryan Jackson’s long throw fell to the big striker in the box in front of the Rainham End for what was remarkably the big striker’s first goal for the club at Priestfield!
The Gills went into the game with the same starting eleven that had won so gloriously at Accrington seven days before, with young Harvey Lintott taking his place on the bench for the very first time.
Rochdale arrived in Kent somewhat as the entertainers in League One – since they lost to the Gills their results had been 3-3, 4-4, 3-3, 0-1 and 2-2 – and they had the first chance of the game as Olly Rathbone forced Jack Bonham into a super finger tipped save just moments after firing a better chance over the bar. Matty Lund then went close for Rochdale with a header that he really should have done better with.
The home side made another slow start to a home game, another clear indication of how they miss the Priestfield faithful perhaps, and it was only in the closing stages of the half that they threatened Gavin Bazunu in the Rochdale goal.
Olly Lee was denied a goal on his second comeback appearance at Priestfield as the keeper did well to deny him as he latched onto a ricocheted Jordan Graham cross moments after Graham himself had curled a free kick just too high. Bazunu though was left helpless on the stroke of half time as Oliver forced the ball home.
The Gills striker was magnificently denied by the keeper with a header – from Callum Slattery’s cross, but Oliver was not to be denied as he reacted quickest to the rebound off the keeper to hammer Gillingham in front.
It was almost two just after the break but Bazunu somehow managed to save Connor Ogilvie’s terrific header from Graham’s free kick, the Gills defender did brilliantly to meet the dead ball, but the Dale keeper did even better to get his hand to the ball as it seemed past him.
The Gills were left to rue their luck with just twenty minutes from time when Jimmy Keohane got on the end of a long ball over the top of the defence before slamming the ball past Bonham for the equaliser.
Six minutes later, Keohane had his and the visitors second. The Irish midfielder was allowed too much time and space in the Gills box before he picked his spot wide of Bonham’s despairing dive and into the bottom corner.
Akinde was introduced for Oliver shortly after but as the Gills strove to get back on level terms, Bonham kept his side in the game by a fine block with his legs to deny Alex Newby.
Just as it looked like the visitors would gain swift revenge for their December drubbing, Akinde salvaged the Gills a point as he brilliantly swept home Dempsey’s knock down as Jackson’s long throw was only half cleared by the visitor’s defence.
This result may have left Gillingham thirteenth in the table, but Steve Evans’ side are “only” seven points off the Play Off places, with a game in hand, going into Tuesday’s home clash with Crewe Alexandra.
GILLINGHAM – Bonham, Jackson, Tucker, Ogilvie, O’Connor, Slattery (Willock), Dempsey, Graham, Lee, MacDonald (Johnson), Oliver (Akinde)
Subs – Walsh, McKenzie, Lintott, O’Keefe
ROCHDALE – Bazunu, McLaughlin, Osho, Dooley, Morley, Newby, Keohane, Rathbone, Roberts, Lund, Baah (Hopper)
Subs – Beesley, Done, Tavares, Bradley, Brierley
REFEREE – Mr Pollard
Image courtesy of Gillingham FC