Gillingham 1 Barrow 1 League 2 match report: Elkan Baggott secures point after Glenn Morris penalty save

Elkan Baggott scored for the second game running as Gillingham took a point against Barrow.

The defender, who turns 20 tomorrow, met a Will Wright corner for the Gills’ second-half equaliser at Priestfield.

Josh Kay had given the Bluebirds a half-time lead but went on to have a penalty saved by Glenn Morris.

At one down, Gills were still in the game and so it proved as Baggott got his birthday celebrations off and running.

Barrow’s flying start to the season had stalled in recent weeks, arriving at Priestfield on a run of four defeats.

Gills, on the other hand, were unbeaten in their previous four games, although three of those were drawn.

There seemed genuine optimism around ME7 before kick-off, buoyed by an encouraging display against league leaders Stevenage the previous week.

Indeed, Gillingham made a positive start with Hakeeb Adelakun’s bright run and shot inside a minute, but it proved something of a false dawn in what was a frustrating first half.

It was a story of poor pass selection, overhit balls, balls going out of play, with Gills struggling to find any rhythm.

Barrow were neat and tidy in possession, without looking like blowing Gillingham away.

They might have gone in front before the quarter-hour mark when David Moyo climbed unopposed from Ben Whitfield’s corner in the middle of the goal, nodding wide of the far post.

A poor game sparked into life in a four-minute spell after the half-hour mark.

First, Kay turned nicely and saw a 30-yard drive crash back off the bar for the visitors.

It was the Gills’ turn to hit the bar when Adelkaun unleashed a cracking strike from 25 yards that was touched on to the woodwork by keeper Paul Farman and out for a corner.

If it was going in, it goes down as a terrific