Gillingham 2-2 Colchester United

Doug Loft scored a dramatic equaliser in added time to earn Gillingham a point against 10-man Colchester United.

The U's went in front when George Moncur scored from close in before Max Ehmer levelled from Loft's free kick.

The visitors went back in front when Chris Porter headed home Matt Briggs' cross before Briggs was sent off for a second yellow in stoppage time.

Moments later, Loft lashed in a shot from long-range to rescue a point for the hosts.

Gillingham boss Justin Edinburgh told BBC Radio Kent:

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Gills boss Edinburgh after Colchester draw

"When we conceded as late as we did, I thought the players showed great character to rescue a point. I think it would have been a travesty not to have taken anything from the game.

"I need to look at everyone between now and the end of the season, there's obviously some big decisions to be made here, but on the other side I thought the players deserved the chance.

"I thought we started very well, but when you do start as well as we did and have as much possession then you need to make it count, and we didn't capitalise on that."

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Gillingham

• 12Morris
• 31Hoyte
• 4Egan
• 5Ehmer
• 21BellSubstituted forDickensonat 74'minutes
• 15MorrisSubstituted forMcGlashanat 45'minutes
• 8Hessenthaler
• 7Loft
• 23Dack
• 19NorrisSubstituted forMarquisat 68'minutes
• 10McDonald

Substitutes

• 1Nelson
• 6Legge
• 9Marquis
• 11McGlashan
• 13Galbraith
• 16Muldoon
• 24Dickenson

Colchester

• 1Walker
• 2Wynter
• 6Khumalo
• 18Eastman
• 15BriggsBooked at 90mins
• 24Moncur
• 38FoxSubstituted forSzmodicsat 51'minutes
• 8GilbeyBooked at 49mins
• 37Sembie-FerrisSubstituted forMasseyat 45'minutesBooked at 90mins
• 42Porter
• 25Murphy

Substitutes

• 11Marriott
• 12Lewington
• 21Massey
• 23Vincent-Young
• 27Bonne
• 28Szmodics
• 32Lapslie

Referee:

Darren Sheldrake

Attendance:

5,319

Match Stats

Home TeamGillinghamAway TeamColchester

Possession

Home49%

Away51%

Shots

Home11

Away10

Shots on Target

Home6

Away5

Corners

Home10

Away9

Fouls

Home5

Away14

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Gillingham 2, Colchester United 2.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+8'

Second Half ends, Gillingham 2, Colchester United 2.

Goal!

Posted at 90'+6'

Goal! Gillingham 2, Colchester United 2. Doug Loft (Gillingham) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom right corner.

Dismissal

Posted at 90'+4'

Second yellow card to Matthew Briggs (Colchester United).

Posted at 90'+4'

Foul by Matthew Briggs (Colchester United).

Posted at 90'+4'

Jermaine McGlashan (Gillingham) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 90'+3'

Attempt missed. Max Ehmer (Gillingham) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left following a corner.

Posted at 90'+2'

Corner, Gillingham. Conceded by Matthew Briggs.

Posted at 90'+1'

Corner, Gillingham. Conceded by Bongani Khumalo.

Posted at 90'

Corner, Colchester United. Conceded by Bradley Dack.

Booking

Posted at 90'

Gavin Massey (Colchester United) is shown the yellow card.

Posted at 90'

Corner, Colchester United. Conceded by Jake Hessenthaler.

Posted at 89'

Gavin Massey (Colchester United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 89'

Foul by Brennan Dickenson (Gillingham).

Goal!

Posted at 87'

Goal! Gillingham 1, Colchester United 2. Chris Porter (Colchester United) header from very close range to the high centre of the goal. Assisted by Matthew Briggs with a cross.

Posted at 84'

Jermaine McGlashan (Gillingham) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 84'

Foul by Jacob Murphy (Colchester United).

Posted at 83'

Attempt missed. Jacob Murphy (Colchester United) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.

Goal!

Posted at 82'

Goal! Gillingham 1, Colchester United 1. Max Ehmer (Gillingham) header from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Doug Loft with a cross following a set piece situation.

Booking

Posted at 81'

Matthew Briggs (Colchester United) is shown the yellow card.

Posted at 81'

Foul by Matthew Briggs (Colchester United).

Posted at 81'

Jermaine McGlashan (Gillingham) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 79'

Foul by Gavin Massey (Colchester United).

Posted at 79'

Brennan Dickenson (Gillingham) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 77'

Corner, Gillingham. Conceded by Sam Walker.

Posted at 76'

Corner, Gillingham. Conceded by Sam Walker.

Posted at 76'

Attempt saved. Bradley Dack (Gillingham) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.

Posted at 76'

Corner, Gillingham. Conceded by Bongani Khumalo.

Substitution

Posted at 74'

Substitution, Gillingham. Brennan Dickenson replaces Amari'i Bell.

Posted at 74'

Foul by Matthew Briggs (Colchester United).

Posted at 74'

Jermaine McGlashan (Gillingham) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 73'

John Marquis (Gillingham) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 73'

Foul by Tom Eastman (Colchester United).

Posted at 72'

Chris Porter (Colchester United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 72'

Foul by John Egan (Gillingham).

Posted at 70'

Attempt missed. Bradley Dack (Gillingham) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.

Substitution

Posted at 68'

Substitution, Gillingham. John Marquis replaces Luke Norris.

Posted at 66'

Matthew Briggs (Colchester United) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 66'

Foul by Jermaine McGlashan (Gillingham).

Posted at 65'

Foul by Chris Porter (Colchester United).

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