Wolves 2 Gillingham 2

LOUSY. No other word so perfectly sums up the non-event that robbed 24,949 people of a few hours of their life at Molineux on Saturday.

Forget the grandstand finish. The last two minutes in no way excused the first 88, which were appalling.

Gills manager Stan Ternent said he was "pleased" with the performance. He must have been the only one. The first 45 minutes were the most dire seen in a long time and the second half wasn't much better.

Before the game the Priestfield strugglers would have pleased to take a point from a team aiming for a late surge for the play-off places, especially having scored twice, not just away from home but at all.

The Black Country club can forget their lofty aims of doing a Crystal Palace. They were equally to blame for this terrible match.

In the shadow of the statue of the great Billy Wright CBE the players should have been ashamed of their performance.

Ian Cox's comedy defending, jumping up with the ball jammed between his knees, then bunny-hopping away set the tone. As did Nyron Nosworthy given the job of man-marking Carl Cort to stop any creative front play.

The first 25 minutes was totally forgettable. Only South Korean international Seol Ki-Hyeon on the turn six-yards out and Michael Flynn in a speed race with keeper Michael Oakes carved out half-chances.

There was no urgency and no inspiration. Gills packed the defence every time the home side tried to get forward and were happy to lump the ball forward to whoever was furthest up field whenever they had possession.

Nicky Southall hit the woodwork on the half-hour, for once getting a free-kick almost on target and at the other end Lee Naylor tamely curled an effort straight into the arms of Steve Banks.

In the first moment of some urgency after 37 minutes, Ki-Hyeon's cross found Kenny Miller, but the Scottish international got it all wrong.

"We had a shot at goal" chanted the Jack Harris stand ironically when Seyi Olofinjana remembered the aim of the game was to get the ball into the back of the net and shot on sight.

A dreadful first half ended with Cort finally losing Nosworthy but he headed straight at Banks and the crowd cheering when it was announced there would only be one minute added time to endure.

The second half started with the home crowd jeering the opportunity to buy Early Bird season tickets, fans murmuring their season's over "if we don't beat this bunch" and angry shouts of "try passing it".

Wolves' fans, with their rich history deserved better, especially when Byfield sprang the offside trap and broke along the right wing before crossing into the danger area.

Jody Craddock made a hash of what should have been an elementary clearance and Darius Henderson was given all the time and space in the world to side-foot home from 15-yards past a helpless Michael Oakes.

Glenn Hoddle's side surely hurt by the heart-felt boos from their own fans almost responded immediately through Miller, but Banks got down smartly to turn it around the post.

Gills stepped up half a gear, aware Wolves were there for the taking, but it was Miller who headed in an unexpected equaliser on the hour after good work from full-back Edwards.

Banks made a brilliant block with his legs to deny Olofinjana as the home side worked up a little head of steam, but only of the size you'd find on a child's teapot.

Terrible handling from Banks almost gifted Lescott a goal on 78 minutes, but the skipper got hit in the face and covered his eyes with his hands instead of looking for the ball and scoring what would have been an easy tap-in.

Ternent would not publicly admit that being unable to protect the lead for a second time with just seconds remaining could affect his team's already low morale.

But with a much-needed three points there for the taking, the Gills camp must be gutted that when Michael Flynn broke clear and lofted the ball past Oakes his first for the club it was not the winner.

For the game took another twist as substitute Clarke scrambled the ball home in stoppage time after panic paralysed the Gills defence.

Gillingham: Banks, Nosworthy, Ashby, Cox, Southall, Smith, Flynn, Crofts (Pouton 75), Jarvis (Spiller 90), Byfield, Henderson. Subs Not Used: Bossu, Hills, Beckwith.

Attendance: 24,949.

GILLS JURY

"I didn't expect anything from the game when we travelled up to Wolves so I suppose a point was a good result. But after what happened at the end I'm disappointed we didn't take all three.

Gillingham played well and scored two goals, which was a nice surprise. They played outplayed Wolves at time and kept our shape well." Pam Tyler, Gillingham

"I thought our players battled really well and I'm sure their second equaliser should have been disallowed. The effort was there from us and I though Darius Henderson worked hard and deserved his goal. We really thought we had won it when Flynn scored late on but it wasn't to be." Pam Humphreys, Gillingham

"At 4.50pm, I was the most depressed I have been all season. When Wolves equalised and we found out Coventry had won it was like someone had ripped your spirit out, stamped on it, set it on fire and then thrown it away.

But if we keep playing with the spirit Stan Ternent has installed then I think we could just avoid relegation." Daniel Booth, South London

"We would have taken a point before the game but to go ahead twice and get pegged back each time was very frustrating. I don't know if their late equaliser was handball or not but the defenders should have dealt with it anyway, while their first goal was a free header.

We did better in attack and created more chances but we still lack that killer instinct and need to bring a new striker in." Gary Liptrott, Walderslade