Gillingham escape the drop zone after a hard fought point against Yeovil at Huish Park

In a surprise move, Manager Mark Stimson made no less than six changes to the team that lost in midweek to Tranmere Rovers. Richards, Nutter, Oli, Maher, Miller and Walker all returned to the line-up Bentley, Palmer, Jackson, Barcham, Gowling and Rooney were the men to make way.

The game got off to a distinctly slow start, the opening quarter of an hour only notable for length treatment to Stefan Stam and later Ryan Mason and Adam Miller.

Gillingham grew in confidence as the half unwinded, but still struggled to break down the Glovers resistance, enjoying plenty of possession without creating a chance of note.

Yeovil's first decent effort came 32 minutes into the half, Nathan Smith finding space down the left before testing Julian with a low shot that was easily gathered at the near post.

Four minutes from the break Tudur-Jones, under pressure from Dennehy, blazed over at the right post after Caulker had nodded Mason's cross into his path. 

Deep in time added on the Gills carved out their best chance of the half, Walker touching Jackman's cross to Weston whose drive from the edge of the box was pushed over by keeper McCarthy.

HT 0-0

Early in the second half Danny Jackman decided to take matters into his own hands, ending a strong run into the box with a pot shot the fizzed over the crossbar.

On 53 minutes the visitors went close again, Jackman delivering a free-kick into the box which Richards could only head wide of the far post.

Soon after, the woodwork rescued both keepers in quick succession, first Smith curling a sweet strike onto Julian's crossbar before Weston rounded McCarthy but sliced his finish onto the foot of the post.

In the 64th minute Oli ran on to Walker's hooked ball over the top, turned Forbes but failed to test McCarthy with a tame shot to the near post.

Alcock's 73rd minute clearance gave Mason time to turn and shoot drawing a fine save from Alan Julian with a curling effort which the Gills custodian was able to push away, high to his left.

With little over ten minutes remaining Stimson introduced leading scorer Simeon Jackson who immediately added life to the Gills attack.

It was his knock down from Dennehy that set-up Jackman to go close on 79 minutes, while Jackson himself was unlucky with a header from Adam Miller's centre soon after.

Substitute Keiran Murtagh drew another stop from Julian, drilling a low shot to the centre of goal after good hold-up play by Bowditch as the Glovers finished strongly, Stimson countered with the introduction of Andy Barcham.

The Glovers pressed hard in the closing stages but it's Stimson's Gillingham that will be far happier to take the point. 

Attendance: 3853 (252 Gillingham)

Gillingham: Alan Julian, Barry Fuller, Garry Richards, Darren Dennehy, John Nutter, Dennis Oli, Kevin Maher, Adam Miller (Andy Barcham 86), Danny Jackman, Curtis Weston, James Walker (Simeon Jackson 77).

Subs: Simon Royce, Mark Bentley, Chris Palmer, Josh Gowling, Luke Rooney

Yeovil Town: Alex McCarthy, Stefan Stam (Craig Alcock 46), Steven Caulker, Terrell Forbes, Sam Williams, Andrew Welsh, Ryan Mason (Keiran Murtagh 79), Dean Bowditch, Owain Tudur-Jones, Shaun MacDonald, Nathan Smith.

Subs: Keiran Murtagh, Scott Murray, Aidan Downes, Daniel Hutchins, Ben Roberts.