Town come from behind to earn a point through Rodman goal
Gillingham: Stuart Nelson, Ryan Jackson, Max Ehmer (c), Deji Oshilaja, Scott Wagstaff, Jake Hessenthaler, Cody MacDonald (Rory Donnelly 89), Paul Konchesky, Elliott List (Bradley Garmston 70), Bradley Dack (Jay Emmanuel Thomas 89), Josh Wright
Subs: Thomas Holy, Billy Knott, Emmanuel Osadebe, Mark Bryne
Town: 1 Jayson Leutwiler, 2 Joe Riley, 3 Mat Sadler, 7 Shaun Whalley, 8 Abu Ogogo (Rhys Morris 87), 12 Junior Brown, 18 Gary Deegan, 19 Freddie Ladapo (Stephen Humphrys 69), 22 Aristote Nsiala, 23 Alex Rodman, 27 Tyler Roberts ( Louis Dodds 77)
Subs: Mark Halstead, Ryan McGivern, Dom Smith, Adam El-Abd
Ref: Trevor Kettle
Assistants: Gavin Muge and Sam Purkiss
Fourth Official: Stephen Finch
Attendance: 5316 (with 223 from Town)
Paul Hurst keeps faith in the eleven that started the game at home to Oldham last weekend. On the bench new loan signing Stephen Humphrys is added and there is a return for Louis Dodds who has recovered from injury.
Town started brightly and their first good opening came with 4 minutes on the clock when a corner was delivered into the box, it was headed clear but dropped to Rodman who fired in a first time volley but he got under the ball and it was over the bar.
Gillingham looked to break quickly and the ball found MacDonald who looked to get away, Brown was with him and MacDonald cut across the run of Brown and went flying, it was a free-kick to the home side and a booking for Brown.
It was a pretty even opening to the game with both sides looking to get in when they could, Town cleared their lines and the ball was side with Whalley, he launched a long ball down field for Roberts to run onto and he put pressure onto Konchesky but he kept his cool and headed back to Nelson.
Gillingham had a great chance after a Dack ball saw MacDonald give Nsiala the slip and he was in on goal, the Town defence were trying to get back but Leutwiler stood up tall and pulled off a great save to deny MacDonald.
The home side created another good chance just past the half hour mark after List got in down the right and in behind Brown, who was on a booking, before firing a cross in, it was headed clear by the Town defence but dropped to Wright who fired a shot in but Leutwiler was there again with another important save.
Junior Brown put a throw that was headed on to find Rodman on the edge of the box, he went up for the header and Jackson leaned into Rodman's back and it was a free-kick for Town . Joe Riley placed the ball and he curled in a ball towards the far corner but Nelson was alert and tipped it over for a Town corner.
Town had a chance after Whalley put a ball for Ladapo on to run onto but Konchesky read it well and played it to Nelson, he cleared long down field and it looked like Nsiala had it covered, but he misjudged it and Oshilaja read the situation better before nicking in goal side of Toto and finished well from the edge of the box.
Half-time: 1-0
There were no changes at the break but Gillingham had a good chance seconds into the half after MacDonald nicked in, he fired a low shot in but Leutwiler was alert to block with his feet at his near post.
Town had a good chance after a free-kick dropped to Whalley, he set-up Rodman who fired in a volley but it was saved by Nelson.
Then moments later good work from Roberts saw him get in down the right and cut the ball back for Ladapo who was in space in the box, his shot was blocked but fell to Ogogo but his shot was also blocked and when it fell to Deegan his shot was blocked as well.
Moments later Town should have been on level terms after good work saw Ladapo flick the ball on for Robert, he got in behind Konchesky and drilled the ball to the back post to set-up Rodman, his shot beat Nelson but it went into the post and then Ladapo couldn't get hold of the rebound.
Town got back on level terms and it was a well deserved goal, it came from the persistence of Roberts, Town broke down the right with Whalley and Riley, it was Riley who got the ball in to the area, Roberts made a nuisance of himself and the ball dropped to Rodman who turned it home for 1-1.
Town were creating chances and were looking to add to their goal but they were also making mistakes that saw the home side counter, ones of these came from a misplaced pass from Ogogo to see Dack break, Whalley came across and was adjudged to have fouled the Gills play maker, and then kick the ball away to pick up a booking.
Town made their first change of the game with Stephen Humphrys coming on to replace Freddie Ladapo who had put in a lot of effort and running for the 69 minutes. Town delivered the free-kick into the back post and there was Humphrys with his first touch, a powerful downward header.
Town were forced into another change after Tyler Roberts looked to be suffering with cramp, having run himself into the ground, and was replaced by Louis Dodds.
Gillingham had a great chance to take the lead after MacDonald found the space in the box to get a shot in, Leutwiler was equal to it with a great save but he couldn't hold on and it fell to Ehmer but his shot went into the post and Town then cleared their lines.
Town were pushing and looking to attack and when Deegan looked to burst forward he was pulled back by Dacks, it was a free-kick to Town but no caution for the Gills man, Joe Riley placed the ball and drove is a shot but it lacked the pace to trouble Nelson.
Humphrys was making a nuisance of himself and showed good strength to knock Ehmer off the ball and get away, he crossed into the box and the clearance dropped to Dodds in front of goal but he was leaning back and fired his shot over from close range.
Town had another chance to grab a late winner after Humphrys showed good awareness to wait for the ball to drop and then nick it away from Oshilaja, he cut inside and elected to shoot when Dodds was in space but Nelson was down to make a good save.
Full-time: 1-1