Cobblers score their first goal in scrappy Gills draw
Cobblers scored their first goal of the season when picking up a useful away point at Gillingham, drawing 1-1 on a wet and windy afternoon in Kent.
Conor McManus headed Gills into an early lead and that put Cobblers on the back foot, but they rode out the storm and levelled with their long-awaited first goal of the season, Logan Briggs producing a terrific finish to pick out the top corner and make it 1-1 at half-time.
The horrible conditions at Priestfield then dominated an extremely scrappy and disjointed second half, in which neither team ever really looked like winning it, and both had to settle for a share of the spoils.
There were two changes from last weekend as Joe Wormleighton came in at right wing-back and Joe O’Brien-Whitmarsh made his full Cobblers debut after replacing the injured Connor Evans. New signing Nathan Opoku made the bench but Jack Perkins and Elliott List also missed out with fitness issues.
Interestingly, Tyrese Fornah was pushed further forward as one of the two number 10s, which meant O’Brien-Whitmarsh played alongside Lee Evans in central midfield, but Cobblers were behind with just seven minutes gone.
Gillingham’s first attack resulted in their first goal of the season as Nick Freeman was left in space on their right to deliver a terrific cross and Wormleighton jumped up too early, allowing McManus a free run and he duly headed beyond Zach Jeacock.
The visitors could then feel aggrieved not to be playing against 10 men for the rest of the game after Robbie McKeznie, already on a booking, left the ground and jumped in with two feet, but the ref only gave a foul and not a second yellow card.
Regardless, Gills had their tails up and Cobblers could not get a foothold in the game, with Ronan Hale clipping the roof of the net with a free-kick.
The extent to which the away side were struggling was reflected in the fact that manager Chris Hogg felt the need to make a change inside the first 30 minutes. Wormleighton was the unfortunate man sacrificed, replaced by Sam Hoskins.
Out of nowhere though, Town finally broke their duck for the season when levelling shortly before half-time. Gillingham could only half clear a corner and after Briggs’ initial shot was blocked, he pounced on the rebound, took a touch and curled a delightful finish into the far corner.
The momentum switched for the remaining nine minutes of the half and Cobblers nearly took a lead into half-time when Evans’ corner seemed to strike the woodwork after evading everyone in the box.
The break allowed Gills to reset and they were quicker to get going in the second half, Hale shooting straight at Jeacock after Evans was robbed of the ball in midfield.
Jeacock showed sharp reactions to tip over James Brophy’s shot before Hogg made his second sub of the afternoon with Opoku on for his debut in place of Warhurst.
Cobblers had more of a grip of the game thereafter but both sides struggles in the swirling, slippery conditions and chances were few and far between.
Gills were probably the likelier to snatch it but things rather petered out and the game finished all square.
Gillingham: Wright, McManus (McLeary 81) Beckles (c) Smith, Hale (Kendall 81), McKenzie (Antwi 55), Brophy (Webster 90), Freeman, Waldock, Dobbs, Goodwin (Sillah 81)
Subs not used: Holtman, Booth
Cobblers: Jeacock, Donacien (Dyche 70), Moore, Guthrie (c), Wormleighton (Hoskins 28), Maxwell, L Evans, Fornah, O’Brien-Whitmarsh, Briggs, Warhurst (Opoku 58)
Referee: Elliott Swallow
Attendance: 5,701
Cobblers fans: 537