Shrewsbury Town 2 - 3 Gillingham: Gillingham battle back for victory over Shrewsbury

Posted Sunday, August 28, 2016 by PA

Gillingham stormed back from 2-0 down at the break to seal a dramatic 3-2 Sky Bet League One win at Shrewsbury with a stoppage-time goal from Max Ehmer.

The home side were in the driving seat at the halfway stage thanks to a brace from Louis Dodds before Jay Emmanuel-Thomas began the Gills revival by also scoring twice.

Shrewsbury took the lead with a fine goal from Dodds in the 17th minute. He latched onto a lay-off from Ivan Toney and curled a shot from 20 yards into the top corner of the net.

Dodds, a summer signing from Port Vale, doubled his tally after 30 minutes, drilling in a low effort from 15 yards at the second attempt, after excellent approach play from left-back Junior Brown created the opportunity.

It might have been 4-0 by half time but Gills keeper Jonathan Bond, making his debut on loan from Reading, made two excellent saves, tipping a header from Toney over the bar before doing well to block a close-range shot from the dangerous Dodds.

Gills cut the arrears in the 59th minute when Emmanuel-Thomas headed in a cross from the right from sub Bradley Dack.

Emmanuel-Thomas then pulled the visitors level with a stunning 30-yard shot into the top corner of the net after 73 minutes.

Shrewsbury sub AJ Leitch-Smith might have won it in stoppage time when he was denied by Bond with just the keeper to beat.

Gillingham then went up the other end to grab maximum points when Dack's corner fell the way of defender Ehmer and his low shot from 10 yards found its way in.