Gillingham 2 Notts County 2

Delroy Facey returned to haunt his former club on Tuesday night with a late equaliser to deny Gillingham maximum points.

The Gills had taken a two goal lead with goals either side of the break from Gary Mulligan and Nicky Southall but couldn?t hang on.

County pulled a goal back through Richard Butcher before former Gills striker Delroy Facey netted the equaliser.

Gillingham headed into the break a goal in front after Mulligan bundled home Southall?s 39th minute free-kick.

The goal came shortly after Adam Miller had seen his shot blocked on the line and Mulligan?s follow-up was also blocked by County?s defence.

An even earlier chance had fallen to Albert Jarrett but his shot at the far post was well saved by keeper Russell Hoult.

It wasn?t all Gillingham and County were always a threat. At the back though the Gills were getting bodies behind the ball and leaving keeper Simon Royce with little to do.

On the stroke of half-time striker Andy Barcham smashed a shot just over after Adam Miller broke forward.

Barcham came close again soon after the re-start when his 30 yard run at goal was only stopped by a great tackle from defender John Thompson ? just as the striker was lining up a shot.

With just over an hour gone Gillingham made it 2-0 when Barcham?s cross was side-footed home by Southall. Almost immediately County hit-back when midfield Butcher struck a low and powerful shot past Royce.

Gillingham?s advantage disappeared on 79 minutes when Facey broke clear and blasted an effort across Royce and into the far corner of the net.

Have your say on the Gillingham SpeakOut section below.

Gills manager Mark Stimson said: ?I?m frustrated for the players because they put a lot into that game. We had to change the team around from Saturday as Simeon wasn?t fit in time and Mark Bentley amazingly had his appeal go against us so he was suspended and that meant some big changes.

?To take two players out was always going to harm the team but all credit to the boys. First half, without really firing on all cylinders, I thought we looked in control of the game and it was just a matter of getting a couple of goals and getting that cushion.

?We did get that and at 2-0 you look and think this could be three or four. But Notts County haven?t drawn seven or eight games with luck. They work extremely hard and go to the last whistle.

?Simon King had a bug all day and he had to come off at half time and he did well to get through the first 45 minutes. Another change does disrupt things and Leigh Mills then playing left sided centre half, which isn?t his natural position, just got caught right at the end there where one of our old players popped up, like you see many times, and they punish you.?

Gills: Royce, Fuller, Nutter, King (Richards 46mins), Mills, Jarrett (McCammon 61mins), Weston, Miller, Southall, Mulligan (Cumbers 86mins), Barcham. Subs not used: Lewis, Julian.

Notts County: Hoult, Mayo (Smith 32mins), Edwards, Hamshaw, Forrester (Weir-Daley 69mins), Weston, Clapham, Thompson, Facey, Butcher, Nowland. Subs not used: Pilkington, Canham, Fairclough.

Attendance: 4,396.