Gillingham maintained their unbeaten start in League 2 with a creditable away point on Saturday.

The Gills defended well for long periods at Fleetwood, who also remain unbeaten, and could have even snatched maximum points with a couple of golden chances.

Gillingham boss Mark Bonner resisted the temptation to hand transfer-listed George Lapslie a start after his winner last week.

The forward was named on the bench as the Gills made one change from the side that won at Morecambe with Jonny Williams replaced by the fit-again Tim Dieng.

There was no Oli Hawkins on the bench with Aaron Rowe also back involved among the options to Bonner.

Former Gills man Zech Medley started for hosts Fleetwood on a sunny afternoon in the north west but he lasted only 15 minutes before being stretchered off with what looked like an ankle injury. He was later seen on crutches with a protective boot when he emerged to watch the second half.

Defending a strong wind in the first half, Gillingham were more than happy to go into the break on level terms.

As you would have expected, Fleetwood had most of the chances. Mackenzie Hunt volleying over early on before crossing for Tommy Lonergan, who nodded wide of the upright midway through the half.

Gillingham were assured in defence, although Fleetwood started to find holes between the lines with Mark Helm becoming increasingly influential.

The hosts had the ball in the net on 35 minutes but their celebrations were cut short by the offside flag. Helm played in the overlapping Carl Johnson but Lonergan strayed too far from his right-wing cross and the alert assistant came to Gills’ rescue.

The visitors survived a goalmouth scramble after Brendan Wiredu’s long throw-in caused problems in the box.

Having defended stoutly, but conceded possession too cheaply at times going the other way, Gillingham had their best opening on the stroke of half-time.

Fleetwood’s insistence of playing out at the back nearly cost them when Elliot Bonds’ telegraphed pass was intercepted by Jayden Clarke. The Gills man skipped past the last defender but sent his right-foot shot wide of the far post with just keeper David Harrington to beat.

It was a slow start to the second half by the Gills. Good feet by Danny Mayor twice nearly prized them open before Max Clark had to turn behind Helm’s effort at the far post for a corner.

Both sides made a double change on the hour in a bid to find a breakthrough, Fleetwood substitute Mipo Odubeko shooting at keeper Jake Turner from 20 yards before seeing his next effort deflected behind for a corner.

Dieng lasted 68 minutes before Lapslie came on to replace him and Gills were nearly ahead three minutes later, substitute Aaron Rowe cutting in from the left and seeing his right-foot curler well saved by Harrington.

Rowe looked good when he came on, and Gbode added more of a threat, the duo nearly combining to force an error out of Fleetwood’s Harrison Holgate.

With 11 minutes left Lapslie nearly repeated his trick from last week, latching on to a wayward header the Gills man saw his right-foot shot go wide of the far post. Gills insisted it should have been a corner, the referee awarded a goal kick.

The story of the day, though, was that Shad Ogie and skipper Max Ehmer were excellent at the heart of the Gillingham defence and they deservedly went home with a clean sheet, the point putting Gills top of League 2 after just three games.

Fleetwood: Harrington, Johnson, Medley (Bolton 16mins), Wiredu, Bonds (Virtue 73mins), Graydon, Mayor, Lonergan (Odubeko 60mins), Hunt (Patterson 73mins), Helm (Broom 60mins), Holgate. Subs not used: Lynch, Hughes.

Gillingham: Turner, Hutton, Ogie, Ehmer, Clark, Little, McKenzie, Dieng (Lapslie 68mins), Nolan (Rowe 59mins), Wakeling (Gbode 59mins), Clarke (J Williams 81mins). Subs not used: Morris, Wyllie, Giles.

Referee: Scott Jackson.

Attendance: not announced