Gillingham stay above relegation zone after Cheltenham draw

Posted Saturday, April 16, 2022 by PA

Gillingham picked up a vital point in their battle to avoid relegation as they played out a 2-2 draw with Cheltenham, twice taking the lead only for Cheltenham to peg them back each time.

The Gills twice took the lead first through Vadaine Oliver and then Ben Reeves, but the hosts were not to be denied and twice hit back with strikes from Callum Wright and Kion Etete.

The opener came after 14 minutes when a corner was half cleared and Reeves and Robbie McKenzie combined to head the ball on for the unmarked Oliver to prod home from 12 yards.

Reeves was denied a second 10 minutes later with a sweet effort on the turn that was superbly pushed away by Owen Evans before Wright levelled five minutes before the interval.

It followed a break upfield by Etete and after Alfie May’s shot was parried by keeper Aaron Chapman, the on-loan Leicester midfielder fired home.

Gillingham retook the lead after 59 minutes when Reeves curled an effort beyond the Robins keeper Evans and they were denied another when Olly Lee’s free-kick thumped against the bar.

Will Boyle then saw a header pushed over by the Gillingham keeper Chapman but it was all square after 78 minutes when a well-worked corner was headed back across goal by Sean Long and Etete headed home from six yards.