Luke Rooney scores Gillingham's equaliser from the penalty spot Picture: Barry Goodwin

by Luke Cawdell

Luke Rooney rescued a point for Gillingham on a disappointing afternoon at Priestfield.

The visitors went a goal up with six minutes remaining through Ian Craney, but three minutes later the scores were level when Rooney scored from the penalty spot. It was a hectic end to a game which had offered few glimpses of goalscoring action.

Charlie Lee had Gillingham’s only two chances in the opening half, with the first coming as early as the third minute. Rooney played the ball into Lee’s path but, with time on his side, the shot was too close to keeper Sean Murdoch and he made the save.

There was little goalmouth action of note in the first 45 minutes and Accrington took until the half-hour to register their first shot. That went well wide with Padraig Amond putting his chance into the Town End.

Lee came close again from a Danny Jackman corner but, with no marker in sight, he guided his header on target but couldn’t beat defender Dean Winnard, who cleared off the line.

Gills keeper Ross Flitney was called into action just before the break as he tipped Kevin McIntyre’s shot wide of the post.

The jeers at the break from the home fans showed what they thought of the first half’s action.

After a slow start to the second half, the Gills came close just before the hour with an effort from Lewis Montrose that whizzed past the post, after latching onto Barry Fuller’s cross. The pace of the game had livened up and, at the other end, Flitney had to be alert to hang onto Winnard’s header.

With 66 minutes gone, Stefan Payne was brought on to offer support to striker Danny Kedwell as Gills switched to a two-man attack. Montrose came close with a shot again, this time turning Jackman’s corner just wide.

Gillingham had a let off with eight minutes left when Craney put fellow substitute Louis Moult in the clear, but he stabbed a good chance wide of the post.

Craney got things right a minute later when he blasted into the net to put the visitors 1-0 ahead.

The game, which had seen little in the way of action, suddenly exploded into life and the Gills went down the other end and immediately won a penalty when Kedwell was fouled by Moulton. Rooney smashed the penalty in off the post to level the scores.

The Gills were level but Kedwell was unable to continue as he limped out of the action following the foul.

Gillingham: Flitney, Fuller, Martin, Lawrence, Richards, Jackman, Montrose, Lee (S Payne 67mins), Whelpdale (Spiller 79mins), Rooney, Kedwell (Oli 88mins). Subs not used: Weston, Fish.

Accrington: Murdoch, Winnard, Hessey, Proctor, Lindfield, Joyce, McIntyre, Murphy, Long, Fletcher (Craney 77mins), Amond (Moult 64mins). Subs not used: Guthrie, Bender, Dunbavin.

Attendance: 4,619.

How relieved were you to see Luke Rooney tuck away his penalty? Have your say in our comments section.