Gillingham’s winning home run came to an end on Wednesday afternoon as they were held by Kenny Jackett’s Portsmouth.
Gareth Evans’ opener was cancelled out by substitute Alex Jakubiak late on. The game ended 1-1, which was, perhaps, a fair reflection on the overall play.
The Gills had won their last seven homes game in all competitions going into the matchup, but Steve Evans’ side went behind just after half an hour when midfielder Evans got on the end of Marcus Harness’ cross to put his team ahead.
Although the Gills weren’t at their best, they dug deep, and their efforts paid off late on when Alex Jakubiak fired in an equaliser following good work from Connor Ogilvie and Alfie Jones.
In truth, the game was scrappy. The teams seemed to cancel each other out and lots of the play was in the air. It was good for the neutral in terms of entertainment, but the game lacked quality.
Steve Evans named the same 11 for the fifth game in a row and the players looked tired. The likes of Brandon Hanlan and Stuart O’Keefe seemed way off their best.
Mark Marshall and Alex Jakubiak made a big difference when they came on against Rochdale on Sunday, and the duo were introduced again after 70 minutes against Pompey.
They both made a positive impact, and these factors may give Evans food for thought in regards to rotation for the Gills’ next game.
In terms of Portsmouth, it seems Kenny Jackett is still searching for the best blend of his squad.
Andy Cannon was dropped to the bench and John Marquis continues to miss out.
Pompey fans, perhaps, lost patience a while ago – a string of results and consistency, particularly away from home, would help Jackett’s cause, however.
Next up, it’s FA Cup action for both sides. Gillingham host West Ham in a huge tie. Portsmouth, meanwhile, will travel to Fleetwood.
words Lewis Browning, Gillingham fan & writer