Vadaine Oliver’s first half strike helped Gillingham to earn a battling point in their first trip to the blue half of the Steel City in nearly twenty years.
Oliver’s sixth goal of the season gave the Gills a lead which they held until a quarter of an hour from time as Florian Kamberi salvaged a point for Sheffield Wednesday in front of the division’s highest gate of the day as over 20,000 filed into Hillsborough.
And the home side were nearly in front in the opening stages as Callum Paterson’s flick beat Jamie Cumming only to hit the Gills right post whilst at the other end, Oliver laid a great ball across the face of goal (from Danny Lloyd’s super centre) but there wasn’t a red shirt to tap the ball home.
Oliver didn’t need any help though moments later as the Gills top scorer received John Akinde’s delicate knock down from Bailey Akehurst’s brilliant centre – on his full League debut it gave the young defender a day to remember – and Oliver made no mistake into the bottom corner.
As you would expect, Wednesday rallied, but Cumming and his defenders held firm even if they did have a couple of narrow squeaks – one when the ball hit Max Ehmer and wrong footed everyone as it dropped narrowly wide.
Paterson had the second period’s first chance – and what a chance it was! Wednesday broke down the right with men over, and as the ball fell to the striker, he hammered the ball wide of Cumming’s net with the goal at his mercy.
As the half wore on, so did the wave after wave of Wednesday attacks that were repelled which makes the manner of the eventual equaliser so frustrating for the Gills players and supporters alike! Cumming pulled off a superb full length save to deny Barry Bannan, but the rebound fell straight to Kamberi who couldn’t miss – and didn’t!
Almost immediately, the home side came agonisingly close to taking the lead, but Jack Tucker was alert enough to be able to clear off the line as a cross evaded everyone – including Cumming.
Wednesday almost won the game right at the death, but as the Gills fans in the 20,563 crowd held their collective breathes, Theo Corbeanu’s fine effort beat the flying Cumming – and thankfully for the visitors – and the right post!
Whilst it was undoubtedly a good point for Steve Evans’ side, the manager will be crossing his fingers that Oliver and skipper Kyle Dempsey both shake off the injuries that forced them off in Yorkshire as the Gills head for Cheltenham in the Emirates FA Cup on Tuesday…
SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY – Wildsmith, Palmer, Dunkley, Johnson, Corbeanu, Dele-Bashiru (Adeniran 90), Wing (Berahino 61), Shodipo (Sow 83), Bannan, Paterson, Kamberi.
Subs not used – Render, Brown, Luongo, Brennan.
Goal: Kamberi (75).
Booked: Johnson (81).
GILLINGHAM – Cumming, Jackson, Ehmer, Tucker, Akehurst (Adshead 71), O’Keefe, Phillips, Lloyd, Dempsey (Reeves 74), Oliver (Sithole 56), Akinde.
Subs not used – Chapman, Lintott.
Goal: Oliver (22).
Booked: Phillips (30), Akinde (96).
REFEREE – Mr Busby
Attendance: 20,563
Picture supplied by Gillingham Football Club.