Bradley Dack scored his third goal in as many games to help Gillingham clinch a point at Port Vale.

In-form midfielder Dack put Gillingham ahead but the hosts levelled in the first half through Louis Dodds.

Neither side managed to find the target in the second half as both preserved their unbeaten starts to the season.

Gillingham made two changes to the one which started the midweek Capital One Cup game at Plymouth.

Bradley Garmston and Josh Wright were included from the off against Vale, with Jake Hessenthaler and Jermaine McGlashan dropping to the bench.

Injuries continued to keep former Vale skipper Doug Loft, Cody McDonald, Emmanuel Osadebe and Aaron Morris out.

It meant places on the bench for teenagers Elliot List and Darren Oldaker.

Both teams enjoyed midweek Capital One Cup wins and Vale came out of the traps quicker, testing keeper Stuart Nelson in the opening minute. Ryan Innis had two attempts from a free-kick played into the box before the Gills man mopped up the danger.

Dack, with two goals in two prior to Saturday, sent in a shot at goal immediately, but keeper Jak Alnwick got behind it.

It was the Gills who netted first after 16 minutes. Alnwick picked up a back-pass and from the resulting free-kick, the ball was rolled to Dack by Luke Norris and he shot into the roof of the net.

Moments later Dack presented Ryan Jackson with a shooting opportunity from the edge of the box but the full-back shot high into the stand behind the goal.

From that moment on Vale bossed the half. Winger Enoch Andoh drew fouls from Adedeji Oshilaja and Jackson, both resulting in yellow cards.

Oshilaja’s trip halted the player’s run on goal, having burst through, and Jackson’s foul did likewise, on the edge of the box. Vale were unable to take advantage of the free-kicks, however.

They did finally draw level with 35 minutes gone. A free-kick was played forward and chested into the path of Dodds. He smashed it low and hard past the stretch of Nelson.

The Gills keeper had to save again from Dodds just before the break and got a palm on another effort from distance. Vale went off at the break with their tails up.

Winger Enoch Andoh went off injured early in the second half to the disappointment of the Vale crowd but they hit the bar within seconds. A free-kick was swung in and Inniss beat keeper Nelson but not the woodwork.

Vale’s attacking threat had deteriorated when Andoh hobbled off and neither team could find a winner. John Egan came closest for the Gills, with a shot saved 10 minutes from time.

Port Vale: Alnwick, Purkiss, Dickinson, Inniss, Duffy, Grant, Foley (Brown 73mins), Moore, Andoh (Kelly 50mins), Dodds, Ikpeazu (Daniel 76mins). Subs not used: Johnson, Streete, Birchall, Leitch-Smith.

Gillingham: Nelson, Jackson, Garmston (Hessenthaler 58mins), Egan, Oshilaja, Dickenson, Wright, Houghton (McGlashan 89mins), Dack, Williamson (Donnelly 82mins), Norris. Subs not used: G Morris, Ehmer, Donnelly, Oldaker, List.

Attendance: 5,067 (273 away)