Gillingham 1 Colchester 1: League 2 match report from Priestfield Stadium

Max Clark levelled from the penalty spot for the second time in two games on Tuesday night.

Clark’s equaliser earned the Gills a point against Colchester United but they deserved all three from a game they dominated for large periods, sadly unable to make it count.

Colchester took the lead against the run of play with a controversial goal, scored by Jack Payne, with the Gills players claiming the ball had gone out of play in the build-up. Gillingham levelled it up from the penalty spot for the second game in a row as Clark converted from 12 yards.

Gillingham boss Gareth Ainsworth, in what was his first home game in charge, made just one change to the team which he started at Harrogate on the Saturday. Leading scorer Jayden Clarke started for the first time in two and a half months, replacing Jimmy-Jay Morgan in the XI.

Play-off hopefuls Colchester United named three former Gillingham players in their defence.

Tom Flanagan - who played a handful of games on loan at the Gills - captained the Us and played along with Jack Tucker, who had made over 100 appearances for the club.

Chatham-born Ellis Iandolo - a former Gills youth player - also started in defence for the visitors. Iandolo and Tucker ended up as a defensive midfield duo after injury-hit Colchester reshuffled early on.

Gillingham started the match with plenty of attacking intent as the U’s struggled to get out of their own half.

Some super balls into the box weren't capitalised on by the Gills’ front two of Joe Gbode and Elliott Nevitt as Colchester defended well.

Gbode poked a good chance wide at the near post but with 20 minutes on the clock the Gills found themselves a goal down, completely against the run of play.

Gillingham defender Sam Gale had moments