Gillingham 1 Grimsby Town 1: League 2 match report from Priestfield - George Lapslie on target for the Gills in home draw

Gillingham dropped more valuable points in their chase for a League 2 play-off place.

George Lapslie cancelled out a Grimsby opener scored by Donovan Wilson in the first half. Connor Mahoney hit the woodwork for the Gills after the break and Shad Ogie blazed a shot over after a good run as the match finished 1-1.

It’s eight unbeaten at home for Gillingham but six of those have been drawn.

A sickness bug that hit the Gills ahead of the game kept midfielder Ethan Coleman out while defender Conor Masterson was suspended. It meant George Lapslie and Robbie McKenzie returning to the starting eleven.

Gillingham needed a win to keep their play-off ambitions looking realistic and were up against a side starting the day fourth from bottom, albeit five unbeaten and boasting a win over top-five side MK Dons last time out.

With Masterson missing, head coach Stephen Clemence took the opportunity to revert to a four-man defence, with a 4-2-3-1 setup.

The Gills had a midweek defeat at Wimbledon to get over and they went close early on during a positive start when Conor Mahoney’s cross was headed wide by Lapslie.

It was Grimsby who took the lead on 13 minutes and they did so as they countered from a Gillingham corner, Gavin Holohan putting Wilson in on goal and he slotted the ball past Glenn Morris.

Gillingham equalised two minutes later as Lapslie timed his run well to meet Tim Dieng’s cross to finish past keeper Harvey Cartwright.

The goal ended a four-month wait for a first-half league goal for Gillingham at Priestfield and they came close to more.

Defender Harvey Rodgers hooked Jonny Williams’ goalbound header off the line and from the resulting corner Tim Dieng’s looping header needed to be saved from under the bar.

Max Clark had a