by Luke Cawdell

Gillingham were held on home turf by lowly Bradford City on Saturday.

Neither team managed to find a breakthrough at Priestfield and the Gills were unable to replicate their impressive FA Cup form.

Home striker Jo Kuffour hit the post with less than two minutes gone but goal-scoring opportunities were extremely limited for the home side in the first 45 minutes.

They were facing a side without a win on their travels this season but they were more than a match for the Gills in the opening half.

Bradford should have scored just before the half hour mark but striker James Hanson’s close-range header was saved instinctively by Gills keeper Ross Flitney. Hanson smashed the follow-up over the bar with the goal gaping.

The same player glanced a header wide moments later as Bradford continued to threaten.

Gills’ best moments were coming down their right flank where Frank Nouble was giving full-back Marcel Seip a torrid time. Despite his efforts the half ended goalless with Kuffour’s early acrobatic shot the closest the home side had come to scoring.

Gillingham had started the game with three forwards, along with Curtis Weston who was offering support, but changed things around at the break as they left just Danny Kedwell and Kuffour in attack.

Bradford remained dangerous after the turnaround with winger Kyel Reid causing problems. With an hour gone it was still goalless and the closest Gills had come in the second half was a deflected shot from Weston which went wide.

The Gills had won with a stylish display in the FA Cup against Bournemouth days before but were struggling to gain control against the side which started the afternoon third from bottom in League 2. There were few highlights for the season's best crowd to get excited about.

Kuffour had the ball at his feet in the box, after Weston nodded down Kedwell’s cross, but after turning and shooting he found keeper Jon McLaughlin in his way. At the other end, with 20 minutes left, Craig Fagan blasted a shot wide.

Gillingham were let off the hook with 15 minutes left as the linesman’s flag denied substitute Nahki Wells a goal as he side-footed home Reid’s cross. The off-side verdict kept things level. The same player put the ball into the side netting with seven minutes left.

A frantic finish saw chances at both ends in the final minute and Gillingham came agonisingly close to scoring, with Stefan Payne shooting across the face of the goal. The slightest of touches would have put it in but Bradford hacked it away.

Gillingham: Flitney, Lawrence, Martin, Frampton, Richards, J Payne, Lee, Weston, Nouble (S Payne 84mins), Kuffour, Kedwell (Montrose 79mins). Subs: Oli, Fish, Gazzaniga.

Bradford: McLaughlin, Seip, Ramsden, Davies, Oliver, Hanson, Hannah (Wells 71mins), Flynn Ravenhill, Reid, Fagan. Subs: Mitchell, Moore, Duke, Devitt.

Attendance: 7,074

Picture by Barry Goodwin: Garry Richards gets up high for a challenge

What did you make of the Gills' display in front of a bumper Priestfield crowd?

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