Exeter and Gillingham had to settle for a point apiece in a scrappy encounter.
Simeon Jackson, Stuart Lewis and Dennis Oli all missed good chances, while Exeter keeper Paul Jones brilliantly kept out Rashid Yussuff's header.
The deadlock was finally broken when Richard Duffy's shot took a wicked deflection before nestling in the net.
Lewis's 18-yard drive flew into the top corner to draw Gillingham level, before Alex Russell's shot hit the post as Exeter almost snatched a winner.
Exeter City Manager Paul Tisdale tells BBC Radio Devon:
"We were a goal up and were hoping that would prove important.
"I think we finished the game very well, I think we were entitled to expect a goal in the last 15 minutes, but that being said I think we were terribly disjointed in the first half.
"In the second half I was disappointed that we finished evens - but we had a terrific crowd and I think we gave them something to bite on. It's an important point but obviously we'd rather have three."
Gillingham boss Mark Stimson told BBC Radio Kent:
"I thought in the first half we were outstanding, some great interplay and moving the ball around the pitch.
"I was disappointed to go in 0-0 at half time, but it hasn't happened much this season so we have to take that as a positive.
"Then Exeter scored a deflected goal, and, all credit to my players, they didn't give up.
"Stuart Lewis got his first goal for the club with a fantastic strike. If we hadn't got anything from the game it would have been a terrible journey home."
Live text and stats
Monday, 28 December 2009
Npower League One
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Time
Exeter
1-1
Gillingham
FT
(HT 0-0)
Duffy 68
Lewis 70
Exeter
27 Jones
02 Tully
03 Duffy
05 Seaborne
06 Taylor
11 Golbourne
07 Harley
14 Cozic yellow card (Russell 66)
21 Dunne (Logan 46)
09 Stansfield (Fleetwood 72)
16 Stewart
Substitutes
01 Marriott,
15 Edwards,
04 Russell,
18 Saunders,
22 Sercombe,
20 Logan,
45 Fleetwood
Gillingham
23 Julian
03 Nutter
20 Fry (Wynter 82)
02 Fuller
04 Lewis
07 Maher
08 Bentley
09 Palmer
24 Yussuff
10 Jackson (McCammon 85 yellow card)
21 Oli
Substitutes
12 Locke,
22 Wynter,
27 Rooney,
28 Payne,
19 Erskine,
30 McCammon
Ref: BrattAtt: 5,761
EXETER
GILLINGHAM
Possession
Exeter31%
Gillingham69%
Attempts on target
Exeter7
Gillingham5
Attempts off target
Exeter3
Gillingham5
Corners
Exeter7
Gillingham5
Fouls
Exeter14
Gillingham10
Final Result
Full Time
90:00+4:28 The final whistle is blown by the referee.
90:00+3:00 Free kick awarded for a foul by Mark Bentley on Stuart Fleetwood. Ryan Harley produces a strike on goal direct from the free kick, save by Alan Julian.
90:00+2:17 Booking Mark McCammon is shown a yellow card.
90:00+2:06 Unfair challenge on Scott Golbourne by Mark McCammon results in a free kick. Paul Jones restarts play with the free kick.
83:44 Substitution Mark McCammon replaces Simeon Jackson.
83:44 Kevin Maher challenges Alex Russell unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Daniel Seaborne.
82:43 Barry Fuller gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Marcus Stewart. Free kick taken by Daniel Seaborne.
81:45 Substitution (Gillingham) makes a substitution, with Tom Wynter coming on for Matt Fry.
80:21 Corner from left by-line taken by Ryan Harley. Ryan Harley takes a inswinging corner to the near post, Headed effort from deep inside the penalty area by Marcus Stewart misses to the right of the target.
78:36 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Simeon Jackson by Daniel Seaborne. Chris Palmer takes the direct free kick.
77:02 Alex Russell produces a right-footed shot from just outside the area that bounces off the post.
76:34 Corner from right by-line taken by Ryan Harley.
75:31 Rashid Yussuff challenges Ryan Harley unfairly and gives away a free kick. Daniel Seaborne takes the direct free kick.
73:50 Simeon Jackson is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Direct free kick taken by Paul Jones.
73:24 Stuart Fleetwood takes a shot. Save by Alan Julian.
72:41 Foul by Stuart Fleetwood on Mark Bentley, free kick awarded. Alan Julian restarts play with the free kick.
71:46 Substitution Adam Stansfield leaves the field to be replaced by Stuart Fleetwood.
69:38 GOAL - Stuart Lewis:Exeter 1 - 1 Gillingham Stuart Lewis scores a goal from the edge of the penalty box to the top right corner of the goal. Exeter 1-1 Gillingham.
68:55 The assistant referee signals for offside against Adam Stansfield. Alan Julian takes the direct free kick.
67:08 GOAL - Richard Duffy:Exeter 1 - 0 Gillingham Richard Duffy scores a goal from long range to the bottom right corner of the goal. Exeter 1-0 Gillingham.
Correction - 66:14 Adam Stansfield gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Dennis Oli. Free kick taken by Barry Fuller.
66:14 Dennis Oli fouled by Adam Stansfield, the ref awards a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Barry Fuller.
65:28 Substitution Alex Russell on for Bertrand Cozic.
64:45 Unfair challenge on John Nutter by Richard Duffy results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Chris Palmer.
Correction - 62:59 Chris Palmer challenges Adam Stansfield unfairly and gives away a free kick. The ball is delivered by Ryan Harley, Effort from inside the area by Marcus Stewart misses to the left of the target.
62:59 Foul by Chris Palmer on Adam Stansfield, free kick awarded. Ryan Harley crosses the ball, Effort from deep inside the area by Marcus Stewart misses to the left of the target.
62:28 Corner taken by John Nutter from the right by-line played to the near post, save made by Paul Jones.
58:28 John Nutter takes a inswinging corner from the right by-line played to the near post.
58:08 Corner taken by John Nutter, Marcus Stewart makes a clearance.
Correction - 57:18 Rashid Yussuff has an effort at goal from just outside the box which goes wide of the left-hand post.
57:18 Rashid Yussuff produces a left-footed shot from just outside the box that goes wide left of the target.
55:17 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Dennis Oli by Daniel Seaborne. Barry Fuller takes the direct free kick.
54:48 The offside flag is raised against Marcus Stewart. Direct free kick taken by Alan Julian.
53:30 Bertrand Cozic takes a shot. Alan Julian makes a save.
52:39 Scott Golbourne takes a inswinging corner.
48:24 Matt Fry fouled by Marcus Stewart, the ref awards a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Barry Fuller.
45:01 The referee gets the second half started.
45:01 Substitution Richard Logan is brought on as a substitute for James Dunne.
Half Time
45:00+2:18 The match has reached half-time.
45:00+1:45 Ryan Harley takes a shot. Save by Alan Julian.
44:19 Effort from deep inside the area by Dennis Oli misses to the right of the goal.
43:37 The assistant referee flags for offside against Marcus Stewart. Alan Julian restarts play with the free kick.
41:54 Unfair challenge on Mark Bentley by Adam Stansfield results in a free kick. Alan Julian takes the direct free kick.
41:10 Dennis Oli is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Paul Jones restarts play with the free kick.
36:20 Unfair challenge on Adam Stansfield by Kevin Maher results in a free kick. Daniel Seaborne restarts play with the free kick.
35:26 Foul by Adam Stansfield on Matt Fry, free kick awarded. Alan Julian restarts play with the free kick.
34:49 Effort from the edge of the penalty box by Stuart Lewis goes wide of the right-hand upright.
32:50 Rashid Yussuff takes a shot. Paul Jones makes a save. Corner taken by John Nutter. Ryan Harley fouled by Matt Fry, the ref awards a free kick. Paul Jones takes the free kick.
31:13 Dennis Oli fouled by Daniel Seaborne, the ref awards a free kick. Barry Fuller takes the direct free kick.
29:34 Corner taken by John Nutter, clearance by Daniel Seaborne.
27:31 Unfair challenge on Bertrand Cozic by Rashid Yussuff results in a free kick. Daniel Seaborne takes the direct free kick.
26:42 Dennis Oli produces a right-footed shot from the edge of the box and misses to the left of the goal.
25:36 Marcus Stewart takes a shot. Blocked by Matt Fry. Corner taken by Scott Golbourne from the right by-line, save by Alan Julian.
24:04 Simeon Jackson takes a shot. Save by Paul Jones.
22:26 Unfair challenge on Kevin Maher by Adam Stansfield results in a free kick. Free kick taken by Alan Julian.
20:54 Marcus Stewart takes a shot. Blocked by Matt Fry. Corner taken right-footed by Ryan Harley.
19:24 The offside flag is raised against Adam Stansfield. Mark Bentley restarts play with the free kick.
18:36 Free kick awarded for a foul by Steve Tully on Chris Palmer. Free kick taken by Kevin Maher.
15:46 Mark Bentley takes the direct free kick.
15:46 Booking Bertrand Cozic is shown a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.
15:27 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Simeon Jackson by Bertrand Cozic.
14:47 Simeon Jackson takes a shot. Paul Jones makes a save.
13:31 Adam Stansfield gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Matt Fry. Direct free kick taken by Barry Fuller.
11:42 Inswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Scott Golbourne, save by Alan Julian.
5:08 Barry Fuller takes a shot. Save made by Paul Jones.
3:41 Foul by Bertrand Cozic on Rashid Yussuff, free kick awarded. Free kick taken by Alan Julian.
2:25 John Nutter has shot on goal from just outside the area which goes wide of the right-hand upright.
1:50 The offside flag is raised against Adam Stansfield. Alan Julian takes the free kick.
0:45 Kevin Maher gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Ryan Harley. Ryan Harley takes the free kick.
0:00 The referee starts the match.
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