Harrogate Town 1 Gillingham FC 1: Simon Weaver left to rue 'an opportunity missed'

Josh March’s 40th-minute penalty set the Sulphurites on their way to what would have been a fourth consecutive League Two victory at Wetherby Road.

But, Max Clark converted from the spot midway through the second half to earn the Gills a share of the spoils, with that result seeing the cushion between Town and the relegation zone trimmed to nine points.

"I thought that it was an opportunity missed because we came out in the second half 1-0 up and, against a strong wind, we were in the ascendancy.

"We created moments where if we had smelt blood, been a bit more adventurous and ambitious in and around the box we could have made it happen.

"There were opportunities there to take the win, but having said that, they had a chance in the dying moments and a point is better than nothing.”

After Gillingham’s Jonny Williams had fired wide early on, Town should have had a spot-kick when March was fouled by Sam Gale but booked for simulation, then threatened again as Jack Muldoon forced Glenn Morris into action.

Harrogate midfielder Bryn Morris was next to try his luck as he took aim from 20 yards but failed to hit the target, before the hosts won a penalty with half-time approaching.

March capitalised on a wayward defensive header, running through on goal and taking the ball around Glenn Morris, forcing the Gills stopper to bring him down inside the box.

The Sulphurites’ leading marksman then beat the visiting custodian once again, sending him the wrong way from 12 yards to register his seventh goal of the season.

Jasper Moon came within a whisker of making it 2-0 shortly after the interval, however he couldn’t quite direct his effort on target having escaped the attentions of his marker to meet March’s cross from the right at the near post.

Gillingham got back on terms in the 68th-minute having been awarded a spot kick of their own, which was converted by Max Clark after Oli Hawkins went down inside the penalty area having tangled with Muldoon.

Town responded positively to that set-back and could have been awarded a second penalty when Gale caught substitute Tom Cursons from behind.

Muldoon then drew another stop out of Glenn Morris, before the Gills number one kept out a March header.

Hawkins came close to landing a sucker punch for the visitors when he acrobatically cleared the cross-bar from just four yards out, though Harrogate kept coming and Toby Sims lobbed an effort onto the roof of the net with Glenn Morris off his line.

Cursons then wasted probably the hosts’ best opportunity to decide the contest when he swept Warren Burrell’s cross over the cross-bar in the final minute of normal time.

And Harrogate could have been punished for not taking those chances late in stoppage time as Jayden Clarke sent an effort just past the post.

Saturday’s result keeps Harrogate 21st in the League Two table with seven matches remaining this term.