Gillingham’s survival hopes took a dive as they conceded in the 96th minute to return to Kent from Sunderland with nothing on Saturday.
Neil Harris’ side were within touching distance of a very precious point in their fight for survival when a ninety-sixth minute ball into the Gills area saw Broadhead climb over a stranded Jack Tucker to power a header beyond Aaron Chapman and send the 30,000-crowd wild with delighted relief as the Black Cats edged back into the division’s top six.
Sadly, few could have rally denied the home side the points as Sunderland enjoyed eighty percent possession and had twenty-five efforts on Chapman’s goal to the Gills five. But with Fleetwood winning at already doomed Crewe and Morecambe beating Burton, there is now just two points and a solitary place keeping Gillingham out of the drop zone.
Skipper Stuart O’Keefe missed the trip through injury which meant a first League start for Josh Chambers as the lack of numbers again proved a problem for the Gills.
Roared on by their passionate support, the home side made the better chances as both Josh Clarke and Danny Batth had opportunities, before Luke O’Nien crashed a header off the bar from a corner.
Charlie Kelman crashed a volley into the side netting in the Gills first real chance and then Chapman was forced into a really smart save to keep out Patrick Roberts’ fizzing low drive.
The second half was more of the same with the home side piling forward with Alex Pritchard centre stage as he curled a beauty fractionally too high before his corner ricocheted off someone and onto Chapman’s bar before being hacked to safety.
Sunderland continued to pile forward but were repeatedly thwarted by the wall of blue and black across the visitors back line with Corry Evans having the best chance, but his shot flew into the crowd.
Just as the travelling faithful thought that the Gills had hung on, Pritchard delivered the telling ball and Broadhead got above Tucker and sent the Stadium of Light into ecstasy!
Neil Harris would have spent the long trip home with his fingers firmly crossed that the agony that his squad must have felt at Mr Langford’s final whistle – knowing that they were that close again to defying the odds at the Stadium of Light – will be the catalyst that will spur his side onto survival with another Play Off chaser – Wycombe Wanderers – due at Priestfield next Saturday. By then though with Morecambe hosting Oxford United and AFC Wimbledon playing Charlton Athletic in midweek, Gillingham could be back in the bottom four…
Sunderland line up: Patterson, Evans, Batth, O’Nien (Embleton 68), Stewart, Winchester (Gooch 68), Cirkin, Pritchard (Broadhead 69), Clarke, Wright, Roberts.
Subs not used: Hoffmann, Xhemajli, Neil, Matete.
Goal: Broadhead (95).
Booked: Cirkin (45), Broadhead (96).
Gillingham line up: Chapman, Jackson, Tucker, Ehmer, Masterson, Tutonda, Lee, Thompson, Chambers (Reeves 72), Kelman (Akehurst 90), Oliver.
Subs not used: Dahlberg, Maghoma, Dickson-Peters.
Booked: Lee (38), Tutonda (40), Chambers (41), Reeves (78).
Referee: Oliver Langford
Attendance: 31,619
Picture supplied by Gillingham Football Club.