Rodman’s leveller is a pain for Pennock

ADY PENNOCK was left frustrated with his side’s second-half performance as Gillingham drew with Shrewsbury Town in an end-to-end encounter at Priestfield Stadium.

The Gills deservedly took the lead through a calm left-footed strike from Deji Oshilaja just before the break in a half they dominated.

But Alex Rodman headed the visitors level after an onslaught at the start of the second half, which saw Rodman also miss from six yards out.

Max Ehmer then struck the post while Louis Dodds blazed over on 86 minutes as both sides searched for a winner. And Pennock, who was managing his first home match as Gillingham boss, admitted he thought his side should have delivered three points for their fans.

“I got a great reception from the fans,” he said. “But I’m a little bit frustrated as we were up at half-time.

“We weren’t in their faces enough at the start of the second half and they dictated play more.

“It was a fairly open game which I’m not a huge fan of. I thought Bradley Dack and Cody McDonald played very well together though. Their movement was very good.

“We could have been better with the ball, we need to be more brave with it.”

The hosts took the lead when Stuart Nelson’s clearance found its way to Oshilaja who won the aerial battle against Aristote Nsiala to guide a shot beyond Jayson Leutwiler.

Earlier, striker McDonald was put through on goal but failed to show the same composure.

At the start of the second half Freddie Ladapo’s stinging strike was parried away by Nelson before Abu Ogogo latched onto the rebound, only for Oshilaja to clear off the line.

Rodman struck the post from six yards out in one of the misses of the season so far, but put that behind him to head the rebound from Tyler Roberts’ effort into an empty net on 62 minutes.

Shrewsbury now sit two points above the relegation zone, and manager Paul Hurst was quick to praise his side’s resilience in the second half.

He said: “It’s a good point. It was certainly a game of two halves.

“The goal was a blow to us. I was hoping we could get in at half-time on level terms, and then I could ask the lads for a bit more.

“But we were the better team for large parts of the second half.

“Physically we were better in the second half as well.”