Late drama as Grimsby Town scrape a point against Gillingham
An equaliser deep into added time ensured it ended in a draw at Blundell Park
Danny Rose rescued a point for Grimsby Town at the death as they drew 1-1 with Gillingham in a scrappy midweek battle at Blundell Park.
It looked as though Doug Tharme’s freak first-half own goal would be all that separated the sides, but the Mariners skipper stepped up in the 97th minute to ensure a point for his team.
David Artell made four changes to the starting line-up from Saturday’s heavy defeat at Barrow, with Denver Hume an enforced change through injury as Evan Khouri dropped back to the left side of the defence.
Curtis Thompson and Charles Vernam started their first games after returning from their respective injuries, with captain Danny Rose also regaining his starting spot. Cameron McJannet was given a rare rest as Doug Tharme stepped up to partner Harvey Rodgers at centre-back.
It was a positive start to the game for Town, with Kieran Green having a great opportunity inside the first two minutes as a long ball into the area from Evan Khouri found him. However, he could not quite get under the bouncing ball enough to keep his shot under the bar.
Vernam had a goal-bound effort crucially blocked on the edge of the six-yard box as he received the ball and cut in from the right flank as Town looked to press home their early control.
The visitors’ first effort on goal was gifted to them as Thompson’s wayward pass fell straight to Asher Ogbenne just a few yards outside the Mariners’ area, but the former’s blushes were spared as the Gillingham winger fired wide of the near post.
Town were trying to work the ball into wide areas quickly, particularly to Vernam, who was putting some testing balls into the box, finding Green with an inswinger that the midfielder headed marginally wide.
Town were controlling possession and had created more chances, but the visitors went ahead with ten minutes to play in the first half, Tharme scoring a freak own goal as he swung his foot and sliced a clearance into his own net.
Gillingham had hardly threatened the Town goal yet found themselves ahead at the break as Artell’s side could not muster an instant response to the own goal as a feeling of frustration quickly grew around the ground.
It was almost a horror start to the second period for the Mariners, with Green an inch or two from a second own goal for the team as his defensive header smashed off the underside of the crossbar and just stayed out.
The second half was being played at a tempo that suited the visitors who had the lead, with Town unable to maintain the same level of composure and guile in possession as they had shown in the early stage of the game.
It was a struggle for the home side to build out, and Gillingham could sense an opportunity to add to their lead. They almost did as substitute Tim Dieng’s header hit the inside of Jordan Wright’s left post, with the latter scurrying to collect as the loose ball bounced off him.
Artell brought on attacking players in Jayden Luker and Justin Obikwu to try to change the course of the game, but just getting the ball into the final third was a struggle for most of the second period.
A chance finally opened up for Town in stoppage time by Jason Dadi Svanthorsson was denied at close quarters by Gillingham goalkeeper Glenn Morris, but Town kept going, and Rose converted a low cut-back at the near post to the relief of the home crowd.
