Gillingham bossed the second half against Crewe on Saturday but were unable to make it count.

The Gills survived a couple of scares during a goalless first half but then dominated after the break, up against a Crewe side reduced to ten men after Ryan Cooney picked up a second booking with 15 minutes left.

Reaction: John Coleman not playing the blame game

Gillingham had a goal disallowed late on as a much-needed win continues to elude them.

There was just one change to the starting line-up for the Gills as Joe Gbode dropped out through injury and was replaced upfront by Jimmy-Jay Morgan.

Manager John Coleman was still chasing his first win as Gillingham manager after three defeats and three draws. The Gills were without a win in 10 heading back to Priestfield after a morale-boosting performance at Walsall.

The wait goes on for a win but the performance against Crewe was up there with the best of the season.

The Gills had gone from an embarrassing performance at Barrow a week earlier to a much-more Gillingham-like performance.

Gillingham chairman Brad Galinson wrote pre-match about the need to firm up the club’s identity ahead of a busy summer recruitment campaign. The ingredients were there at Walsall in the week, with Galinson enjoying the “fight, heart, effort and desire” on show.

The Gills needed to repeat it and in the second half at ME7 they did just that.

Former Crewe striker Elliott Nevitt was getting booed by the handful of away fans every time he touched the ball on Saturday.

Nevitt had scored 18 goals for Alex last season but went into the weekend without a goal in 17, with only one league effort to his name. The effort was there again on Saturday but not the goal.

Gillingham’s best chances of the first half fell to others. Armani Little smashed the ball over unmarked from just inside the box after a well-worked corner and Robbie McKenzie had a shot deflected wide.

Crewe were good on the ball and made it tough for the Gills early on.

The visitors had some big chances in the opening half which they failed to take.

The best of those was handed on a plate when goalkeeper Glenn Morris rolled a pass into the path of Jack Powell. With the goal at his mercy managed to miss the target.

Visiting striker Shilow Tracey scored both goals for Crewe in their 2-0 win over the Gills back in October, and he created another opening after dancing past the Gillingham defence. Morris came out to make a successful challenge and when the ball fell invitingly for Matus Holicek, he hooked the ball over the bar.

A shot from inside the box later in the half for Joel Tabiner was blocked by the busy Gills keeper.

Crewe goalkeeper Filip Marschall made a decent save when he got down well to save from Gills’ on-loan striker Morgan five minutes before the break.

Despite some good chances for both teams it was goalless at the break.

Gillingham upped the tempo and had Crewe pinned in at the start of the second half.

Nevitt had a shot blocked by Lewis Billington and from the corner Andy Smith’s header was cleared off the line.

Sam Gale then went close, meeting Armani Little’s free-kick at the back post but his goalbound effort was kept out by keeper Marschall.

Crewe were hanging on and trying to slow the pace of the game down at every opportunity. Sam Cooney picked up his first booking for holding onto the ball as Max Clark looked to take a quick throw.

Marschall was kept busy and was at full stretch to deny impressive youngster Gale after he headed towards the far corner of the goal. The Gills defender did well the other end to keep out Holicek’s effort on a rare attack for the visitors.

With just over 20 minutes left Coleman made a quadruple change from the bench and a switch of his wing-backs as Jack Nolan and Jayden Clarke came on to the field. Bradley Dack and Oli Hawkins were also introduced.

Cooney was sent off for a second caution, heading for an early shower after a foul on Dack.

Gillingham continued to threaten and Hawkins headed just over the bar.

The Gills thought they had a goal on 83 minutes when Dack was penalised for a foul on the keeper after bundling the ball home following Hawkins’ header back from a deep Little cross.

There was eight minutes added on at Priestfield but Crewe hung on to keep it level. Gillingham had claims for a penalty in the last seconds, following appeals for handball, but it wasn’t given..

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