Striker Rene Howe is beaten to the ball by Walsall keeper Clayton Ince. Picture: Barry Goodwin

by Luke Cawdell

Gillingham had to settle for a third successive draw after failing to find a breakthrough against Walsall at Priestfield on Saturday.

Gillingham had most of the possession and the chances but ended the match against Walsall without a goal on a frustrating afternoon.

Boss Mark Stimson felt his side did more than enough to take maximum points from the game.

He said: “I’m frustrated because it should have been over by half time. It wasn’t and whether that was because of poor finishing or good defending we’ll have to look at the DVD and decide.

“There were a lot of chances created and right at the end Mark Bentley looked like he had got us the winner but there was a great bit of defending.

“We thoroughly deserved to have got three points and we retained the ball well with good possession and looked bright going forward. If we had have got one goal we could have got three or four quite comfortably.

“We will probably play worse this season and win. We are disappointed with the result because the performance warranted more.”

Numerous opportunities fell the Gills' way after they recovered well from an early scare.

With 10 minutes gone home keeper Alan Julian had to make a treble save to keep Walsall at bay as a scramble ensued following Clayton McDonald’s header. Julian blocked the first attempt, clawed away Darren Byfield’s over-head kick and then kicked clear from the melee of bodies inside the area.

It was Walsall’s only real chance of the half as Gillingham dominated largely thanks to the big physical presence of front man Rene Howe.

He created chances and pulled Walsall’s defence apart but the half-time whistle sounded with visiting keeper Clayton Ince still unbeaten.

Gills’ 14-goal striker Simeon Jackson had several opportunities in the first 45, the best coming four minutes before the break. He raced clear but fired his shot straight at Ince.

The goalie made several saves in the opening half but none really troubled him. Jack Payne twice had efforts from distance and Jackson late in the half stabbed another shot into Ince’s midriff.

Walsall captain Dwayne Mattis blasted over a good chance early into the second half and Howe put one wide for the Gills with 56 minutes on the clock.

Thirteen minutes later and Jackson should have done better when put in on goal by Andy Barcham, but he showed enough of the ball to defender Clayton McDonald and he made a saving tackle.

Barcham himself had earlier had the ball in the back of the net but referee Darren Deadman pulled play back for a foul on Gills’ Mark Bentley in the build-up.

Substitutes Curtis Weston and Danny Jackman were introduced for the latter stages as Gills sought a way through Walsall’s defence.

Bentley saw a great chance deflected wide inside the final ten minutes and the goal that the Gills deserved just didn’t arrive.

Gills: Julian, Fuller, Dennehey, Maher (Weston 67), Bentley (Rooney 87), Barcham, Gowling,.Wynter (Jackman 77), Payne, Howe, Jackson. Subs not used: Royce, Jackman, Miller, Oli, Rooney, Plummer.

Walsall: Weston, Smith, Mattis, Deeney, Bradley (Taundry 68), Till (Nicholls 76), Vincent, Richards, Byfield, McDonald. Subs not used: Sansara, Parkin, O’Keefe, Westlake, Gilmartin.

Attendance: 4,796.