Match Report | Gillingham 0 Crewe 0
- Railwaymen earn share of spoils
- Clean sheet for keeper Booth
- Alex drop a place to sixth
Crewe Alexandra will bring home a hard-earned point from their long trip to Gillingham.
On a windy Good Friday, it was a determined and dogged display that earned a share of the spoils for The Railwaymen.
Elliott Nevitt and Mickey Demetriou went closest for the visitors, while keeper Tom Booth made a couple of decent stops to prevent the Gills from closing the gaps to the Play-Off positions.
The result means Crewe drop to sixth in the standings, with the visit of Forest Green Rovers up next on Easter Monday.
Lee Bell made two changes to the side that drew with AFC Wimbledon, with Aaron Rowe and Ryan Cooney recalled. Charlie Kirk and Zac Williams dropped to the bench.
Gillingham, who had big man Oli Hawkins leading their line and were looking to extend an eight-match unbeaten home record, went close on six minutes when Tim Dieng headed goalwards but Booth made an acrobatic save.
Crewe took a while to find their feet, but slowly grew into the game and on 21 minutes some neat play forged a chance for Nevitt, but Dieng made a great block.
Cooney cleared off the line after Remeao Hutton had turned the ball across goal following a free-kick, while Nevitt glanced a header wide at the other end.
Rowe fired over the angle of post and bar after being teed up by Josh Austerfield early in the second half.
On 57 minutes a slick move down the left saw Rio Adebisi cross for Nevitt just a few yards out, but keeper Glenn Morris made a good stop with his legs.
Booth had to tip a looping header from sub Josh Andrews over the bar, while Mickey Demetriou didn’t get a strong contact on a header when Zac Williams found him in a Crewe attack.
But the sides could not be separated despite their undoubted efforts.
Crewe (4-3-3): Booth; Adebisi, Turns, Demetriou, Cooney; Austerfield, Leigh (Long, 82), Thomas (Holicek, 67); Tracey (Billington, 82), Rowe (Williams, 67), Nevitt.
Subs not used: Davies, Finney, Kirk.
Booked: Cooney, Austerfield, Turns
Team (4-2-3-1: Morris; Hutton, Masterson, Ehmer, Clark (Malone, 67); Coleman, Dieng; Mahoney, Lapslie (Clarke, 87), Williams (Walker, 78); Hawkins (Andrews, 67).
Subs not used: Turner, McKenzie, Ogie.
Booked: Morris, Ehmer
Referee: Tom Reeves.
Attendance: 7,112 (289).
