THE alacrity with which the stewards moved to escort referee Mark Cowburn from the pitch, after a result which has seriously damaged Leeds United’s playoff hopes, indicated who the baying crowd thought was to blame. But they would have done better to give credit to a gutsy Gillingham team who should have made the game safe well before Leeds’ late equaliser.

It took Leeds 20 minutes to find any rhythm and when they did click into gear — even if it was only second — they pressed the visitors back. But Gillingham arrived with a record of having lost once in their past five matches, and they restricted United to just two chances in a subdued first half. Both fell to Rob Hulse in the form of headers, the first from an Aaron Lennon cross which he looped over the bar, the second from a Michael Gray free kick which hung in the air so long that the Gillingham defenders left it to their goalkeeper Steve Banks. Somehow Hulse outjumped his reaching arms, but the ball went wide of the net.

With two minutes remaining before the interval Gillingham broke and Darius Henderson won a free kick a couple of yards outside the box. Michael Flynn touched the ball to Chris Hope, whose shot took a deflection to wrong-foot Leeds goalkeeper Neil Sullivan.

Moments later, Flynn had a chance to make it two, scuffing a volley straight at Sullivan. Ten minutes after the break Jonathan Douglas had an opportunity but again directed his header at Sullivan from no more than five yards.

The Leeds players grew as frustrated as the crowd, and a ruckus broke out when Henderson and Gray got involved close to the Leeds dug-out. Both were sent off.

Shortly after Flynn missed another free header, Leeds’ pressure finally told when Hulse scrambled the ball past Banks from close range, his fifth goal in as many games since arriving on loan from West Brom. The last 10 minutes were a siege, but the visitors held out. "We had the best chances and a point was the least we deserved," said Gills’ manager Stan Ternent.

"We should have snatched it at the end, and a few words have been said about that," opposite number Kevin Blackwell said. "The referee has got to ask himself why the crowd was getting so agitated, but we showed some tenacity in coming back."

STAR MAN: Paul Smith (Gillingham)

Player ratings. Leeds United: Sullivan 6, Kelly 5 (Richardson 56min, 6), Butler 6, Kilgallon 6, Gray 4, Walton 5, Gregan 6, Wright 6 (King 78min, 5), Lennon 6, Hulse 7 (Deane 89min), Healy 6.

Gillingham: Banks 5 Nosworthy 6, Hope 6, Cox 7, McEveley 6; Southall 6, Smith 8, Douglas 6 Flynn 6; Sidibe 6 (Byfield, 90min), Henderson 5.

Scorers: Leeds United: Hulse 81

Gillingham: Hope 43

Referee: M Cowburn

Attendance: 27,995

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