Gillingham had to settle for a point at home to Port Vale after conceding a stoppage-time goal.

Keeper Stuart Nelson misjudged a shot from Vale’s Michael Brown and it found its way into the bottom corner in the fourth minute of added on time.

Prior to that the Gills had been hanging onto a 2-1 lead, after defender John Egan struck twice, to cancel out Dany N’Guessan’s opener.

Vale hit the woodwork twice before levelling.

There were two changes to Gills’ starting XI. New signing Max Ehmer made his debut in place of departed Kortney Hause while Michael Doughty replaced Bradley Dack in midfield.

It was a game that struggled to take off and the Gills hadn’t registered a shot on target by the time Vale took the lead.

N’Guessan netted the opener in the 18 minute after taking a touch and firing in low from the edge of the box. Gills’ defence had failed to get close enough to the front-man.

The Gills’ equaliser came from nothing and they bossed the rest of the half.

Egan had already shown his willingness to get forward in the match and when he spotted an opening, the Irishman struck. Vale keeper Chris Neal was unable to get a hand to the low shot from 30 yards.

Neal did, however, get behind a few more Gills efforts. He turned a Brennan Dickenson piledriver over the bar and palmed away an effort from former Vale skipper Doug Loft. Just before half-time he watched as Gavin Hoyte side-footed a chance over the bar.

Vale made a bright start to the second half and Gills keeper Stuart Nelson had to be alert to several dangerous situations.

But it was the Gills who went 2-1 up and once again Egan was the man with the goal, this time coming from a corner. The central defender powered home the header, which crept past the defender on the post.

Nelson had to make saves to then deny Mark Marshall and Michael O’Connor as Vale attempted to hit back. The visitors also hit the woodwork with 20 minutes left when sub Colin Daniel beat Nelson but shot against the post.

There were nervy moments once more soon after when N’Guessan beat Chicksen but his finish was poor. Gillingham were looking to score a third by attacking on the break.

In the last minute of normal time Michael Brown smashed an effort a foot wide for Vale and Louis Dodds went even closer, with a shot that bounced clear off the underside of the bar.

Vale got their equaliser with almost the last kick when Brown tried his luck, Nelson missed it, and the game was all-square.

Gillingham: Nelson, Chicksen, Hoyte (McGlashan 71mins), Egan, Ehmer, Legge, Loft, Hessenthaler, Doughty (Dack 88mins), Dickenson, McDonald (German 71mins). Subs not used: G Morris, Kedwell, Linganzi, Lennon.

Port Vale: Neal, Yates, Dickinson, Robertson, Dodds, Williamson (Campion 81mins), O’Connor, Brown, Marshall (Daniel 68mins), Veseli, N’Guessan (Birchall 81mins). Subs not used: Boot, McGivern, Duffy, Lloyd.

Attendance: 4,799 (131 away)