Gillingham 1, City 1

DISAPPOINTMENT has been a regular companion on the lengthy trek back from Kent.

City fans and players alike have become familiar with that down-in-the dumps feeling on the long, long road home.

But the regret that accompanied the wet journey north on Saturday night was of a different nature to usual; one based on the frustration of two points dropped.

In 14 visits to the Priestfield Stadium since the turn of the century, which began with an FA Cup exit as a Premier League club, City have won just three times.

The history book, therefore, did not suggest a third away victory of the season was on the cards. Yet Stuart McCall – just like the rest of us – knew that should have been the case.

The Bantams boss had arrived with genuine conviction borne of his team's impressive start and his own personal record at Gillingham. He had not been burdened by previous failure; far from it.

McCall had won his last four games down there – twice with City as a player and manager; twice with Sheffield United as a player and number two – and not just narrowly either but by a combined goal difference of 12-1.

Afterwards, he made it abundantly clear that sequence should have extended to five.

It seems a little petty to be critical, given the way his side have performed in the opening weeks of the season. But Saturday's shortcoming maintained a common theme of failing to turn decent – and I mean really decent – territorial advantage into goals.

From the moment that City had levelled through Jordy Hiwula, another who has a soft spot for this particular corner of the garden of England, they should have gone on to inflict maximum damage on a Gills side who have been wobbly at home.

The fact they failed to do so was a bone of contention on the team coach, with midfielder Josh Cullen admitting: "The general feeling among the lads is that it could have been more – and should have been more.

"But I suppose to go to Gillingham and look at it as only one point shows how far we've come."

Cullen was not talking about the mileage. Performance-wise, McCall's men continue to earn admirers.

Gillingham boss Justin Edinburgh is among them. He had been at the Den the previous week and had no doubts City should have won that one as well.

The way they counter-attacked with purpose on Saturday made his own side reluctant to commit too many forward after a bright start. The worry of leaving the back-door exposed to the likes of Mark Marshall, Nicky Law and Cullen was a constant fear.

The conditions were challenging, a swirling, unpredictable wind and dry narrow pitch making it difficult to move the ball with too much certainty.

City's passing was certainly not the precision work of the Millwall game, although still effective enough to carve holes in hosts who looked to pack the middle of the park.

McCall had surprised a few by making just the one change from the previous week. With a sudden embarrassment of riches available, the pre-match hints of unseating a few regulars proved no more than a smoke screen.

Danny Devine could feel hard done by to lose his shirt but another chance will soon come for the talented teenager. He has made a start in senior football to be proud of.

Cullen's return to midfield was guaranteed, given his form up to the international call, and he was only a coat of paint away with a scorching strike midway through the second half.

But eye-brows were raised among the travelling supporters, who thankfully stayed dry this time, that McCall had persisted with Hiwula over Haris Vuckic.

The Huddersfield loanee has looked a peripheral figure in recent outings but his manager put that down to the unfamiliar role he had been asked to fill wide on the left.

On Saturday, he was restored to a forward position and given the chance to keep the waiting substitutes at bay.

Hiwula will have been well aware of the heavyweight bench, brimming with attacking possibilities, so his second City goal could not have been better timed.

Gillingham were in front at that point, having begun much the sharper. Ghosts of Priestfield past flashed before the eyes when James Meredith trod on the ball allowing the home side to break, Emmanuel Osadebe setting up Cody McDonald for an emphatic finish.

On the last visit in January, an early strike had been the signal for a City capitulation – but heads were quickly cleared and the response soon brought an equaliser from their first corner.

Gillingham's marking was casual and Hiwula flicked home Law's set-piece to follow up the goal he had scored there in Walsall colours the season before.

The physical threat posed by the hosts receded as familiar edginess appeared – they had scored first and lost to Sheffield United six days earlier.

Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, a striker who frequently pops up on the wish-list of many City fans, was hardly involved.

Instead City broke upfield almost at will but were let down by the final ball. Care in possession seemed to desert them just when it mattered most.

Cullen, having fluffed an earlier shooting chance, nearly got his sights spot on soon after the break. But the first-half zip had gone out of City's play and Gillingham grew in confidence for a spell.

Long throws were their most effective route to goal and Max Ehmer brought one down smartly and turned to set himself up from close range, only for Stephen Darby to get enough in the way to divert the ball high over the bar.

Once again, Darby's radar for spotting imminent goal-mouth danger had saved City's bacon.

McCall changed his attack to throw on Marc McNulty and James Hanson and Ehmer matched Darby's efforts with a flying block to deny the big man a goal on his return.

Deep in stoppage time, Nat Knight-Percival's wind-assisted header then sent McNulty away. But he was tugged down by Ryan Jackson and the right back's red card came too late to have any impact.