Gillingham’s winless run in the league was stretched to eight games after a goalless draw at fellow strugglers Hartlepool.

Pools’ Wes McDonald went closest to scoring in the opening half but Ryan Law headed off the line. A match between two teams at the bottom end of League 2 wasn’t likely to be a feast for the eyes, and so it proved. The Gills finished it without a shot on target.

Ever-present Ipswich loanee Elkan Baggott was missing on international duty with Indonesia which meant a change at the back. Will Wright was back involved after being an unused substitute in the previous two matches.

Hartlepool were boosted by a new manager, Keith Curle taking charge of his first game. Former Gills striker Mikael Ndjoli was one of three changes for Curle from their last league outing, a 2-0 defeat to Sutton that got their previous boss the sack.

Neither side were able to find a way through during a scrappy opening half that lacked the quality where it mattered.

Gills had a number of chances with free-kicks that came to nothing and a corner that went out of play at the far post. Better quality was needed and they went closest in the opening half when Robbie McKenzie jinked his way through, only to be denied by defender Euan Murray as he prepared to pull the trigger.

Hakeeb Adelakun was seeing plenty of the ball and his deep cross to Scott Kashket almost opened the hosts up. Kashket was back from injury and his nod down almost fell kindly for Ben Reeves.

The half ended without a goal but only thanks to Law’s impressive clearance off the line after Morris had been beaten. Winger McDonald slipped inbetween two defenders, ghosted past a third and fired at goal, only to be denied by the Plymouth Argyle loan man. It was the kind of quality that that had been in short supply from both sides during the opening half.

An early second half chance dropped for Pools’ Reghan Tumilty but he wasn’t able to capitalise, off balance and getting it all wrong from infront of goal.

Gills keeper Glenn Morris was at full stretch to tip over a header from Ndjoli with an hour gone of the League 2 scrap. Substitute Callum Cooke later went close for the hosts with a shot just wide of the upright.

Gillingham continued to work hard for an opening and in the latter stages the game began to open up, with Alex MacDonald and Jordan Green both introduced off the bench.

Some rare neat play around the Gills box almost produced a goal for Hartlepool but Morris saved from Clarke Oduor. Mohammed Sylla almost scored a stoppage-time winner for the home side but stabbed wide from close range.

Gillingham: Morris, McKenzie, Law, Ehmer, Wright, Williams, O’Keefe (Alexander 83mins), Adelakun (Green 79mins), Reeves (MacDonald 69mins), Kashket, Mandron. Subs not used: Turner, Mnoga, Walker, Gbode.

Hartlepool: Killip, Niang (Menayese 58mins), Murray, Lacey (Odour 68mins), Ferguson, Tumilty, Sylla, Shelton, McDonald, Umerah (Cooke 55mins), Ndjoli (Hamilton 68mins). Subs not used: Letheren, Grey, Hastie.

Attendance: 4,898 (223 away)

Referee: Neil Hair