Last-gasp John Akinde strike snatches Gillingham a point

Posted Sunday, January 24, 2021 by PA

John Akinde’s stoppage-time equaliser denied Rochdale a first league win in six games as they were held to a 2-2 draw at Gillingham.

The visitors almost went ahead in the opening minutes as Ollie Rathbone twice forced Gills goalkeeper Jack Bonham into fingertip saves with dipping efforts from distance.

Matty Lund squandered an even better chance for Dale as he miscued a header when unmarked six yards out.

The Gills went ahead on the stroke of half-time when Vadaine Oliver fired home after Gavin Bazunu’s excellent save from his first attempt fortuitously rebounded to him.

Bazunu kept his side in the game seven minutes after the break when he brilliantly kept out Connor Ogilvie’s bullet header from Jordan Graham’s delivery.

Dale drew level when Jimmy Keohane slotted past Bonham having been played through on goal by Lund’s chipped pass.

Irish midfielder Keohane completed a six-minute turnaround for Brian Barry-Murphy’s side as he fired the ball into the bottom corner from just inside the box after 75 minutes.

But substitute Akinde latched onto Kyle Dempsey’s header to volley past Bazunu and rescue a point for Gillingham in the third minute of stoppage time.