Second half goals from Tom Eaves and Josh Parker gave Gillingham a deserved point in the cold Priestfield gloom against in form Wycombe Wanderers.

The visitors had raced into a two–goal half time lead when Adam El-Abd prodded home and then Nathan Tyson scored from the edge of the box to give Wycombe a 17th minute two goal cushion.

Steve Lovell tinkered with his formation at the break and introduced Bradley Garmiston with Mark Byrne dropping deeper to replace Darren Oldaker and you had a different Gillingham.

Eaves pulled one back with his 15th goal of the season as he managed to get behind the defence to get on the end of Barry Fuller’s free kick, before Parker repaid the manager’s faith in him by powering home a super header from Dean Parrett’s corner – won magnificently by Eaves who tracked a seemingly lost ball against a defender.

Remember a few short weeks ago, the manager had told Parker to stay away from Priestfield until the “old Josh Parker” was ready to follow. And on this performance, the Old Parker is definitely back and was indeed just a yard away from capping a magnificent comeback as following a brilliant run from substitute Brandon Hanlan, Parker was left with more time than he realised and sadly he rushed – and pushed – his shot wide of the left post.

Overall though Lovell will be disappointed, especially after the first half display and the defending for both Wycombe goals as the Gills readjusted the back line because of the absence of Max Ehmer.

The corner that the first goal came from should have been cleared and then Tyson was gifted too much time and room before he beat Tomas Holy low into the bottom corner.

The Gills did have chances, Parrett stung keeper Stephen Henderson’s palms; Elliott List saw a shot deflected over and with what proved to be his final contribution Oldaker dropped a cross onto the roof of the visitors net.

Holy then did well to turn aside a low skidding effort as the rain got heavier as the temperature dropped even further before the comeback began as Eaves and then Parker found the back of the visitors net to level things up.

That said, only a truly stunning Holy save from substitute Randell Williams preserved the status quo and stopped Wycombe from winning an eighth game out of eleven – an indication perhaps of just what a good point this might be for The Gills.

 

GILLINGHAM – Holy, Fuller, Lacy, Zakuani, Ogilvie, Oldaker (Garmston HT), Parrett, Byrne, Parker, List (Hanlan 86), Eaves

Subs not used – O’Neill, Charles-Cook, Bingham, Rees, Hadler.

Goals: Eaves (56), Parker (76).

Booked: Garmston (48), Fuller (50).

WYCOMBE WANDERERS – Henderson, McCarthy, Coelho-Jombati. El-ABD, Jocobson, Morris, Gape, Thompson, Onyedinma, Samuel, Tyson (Williams 77)

Subs not used – Smith, Mackail-Smith, Kashket, Cowan-Hall, Yates, Freeman

Goals: El-Abd (12), Tyson (17).

Referee: Mr Dean Whitestone