Adam Barrett and Gills made their point with a late leveller at Plymouth. Picture: Barry Goodwin

by Luke Cawdell

A late goal from Adam Barrett rescued a point for Gillingham at Plymouth on Saturday.

The Gills twice went behind in the League 2 match but twice levelled.

Gillingham were a goal down on 33 minutes, with a goal from Curtis Nelson, but moments later Ben Strevens struck back for the visitors.

Plymouth struck again with 10 minutes left through Luke Young, but Gills skipper Barrett (pictured) levelled it up with two minutes remaining.

First half goalscorer Strevens was one of five fresh faces in the Gills starting XI, as he, Tom Flanagan, Charlie Lee, Danny Jackman and Deon Burton all came in to start against struggling Plymouth.

Lee and Strevens had early efforts that went wide for Martin Allen’s side and a Chris Whelpdale header had to be turned out for a corner by keeper Rene Gilmartin.

The Gills had the ball in the net on the half-hour mark, through Burton, but that was ruled out as the referee had already blown for a foul in the lead up to the effort.

From that point on Plymouth got a stranglehold on the match and keeper Stuart Nelson was tested several times. He made a great diving save to deny Rhys Griffiths after he had spilt Warren Feeney’s initial shot.

Moments later Nelson was beaten and it was his namesake in the Plymouth side, Curtis, who netted from a tight angle after Feeney’s long-range effort was cleared off the line into the central defender’s path.

Five minutes later, however, it was all square when Matt Fish launched a ball forward into the area. Whelpdale miss-cued his shot but the ball fell nicely for Strevens, who finished with a low strike.

Burton fired an early chance over for the Gills but there were few goalscoring chances for either team after the turnaround.

It wasn’t until 10 minutes from time that a meaningful shot was struck in anger and it was enough for the hosts to go ahead again, as this time Young netted, after being played in by sub Nick Chadwick.

With 88 minutes gone the Gills pulled it level when Weston pulled the ball back for Barrett to bundle home. An injury time effort from Adam Birchall nearly stole all three points for the Gills but the home defence cleared off the line.

Gillingham: Nelson, Fish, Jackman, Flanagan, Barrett, Payne, Vincelot, Whelpdale (Kedwell 69mins), Lee (Weston 46mins), Strevens, Burton (Birchall 86mins). Subs: Forecast, Frampton, Davies, Montrose.

Plymouth: Gilmartin, Berry, Bhasera, Purse, Nelson, Hourihane, Lowry, Cowan-Hall, Young, R Griffiths (Chadwick 67mins), Feeney (Gurrieri 60mins). Subs: Cole, Blanchard, Madjo, Lennox, S Griffiths.

Attendance: 6,396.