WANDERERS produced a spirited comeback to earn a 2-2 draw against Gillingham at the UniBol.

Goals from John Akinde and Kyle Dempsey gave the visitors a commanding lead at the break.

But the Whites hit back through Dapo Afolayan before Kieran Lee scored a dramatic equaliser in injury time.

The first real chance fell to Josh Sheehan who steered wide from Elias Kachunga’s low cross following a promising attack down the right wing.

Afolayan then had Jamie Cumming scrambling to his right after trying his luck from just outside the box but the ball flew wide of the post.

Gillingham took the lead after 13 minutes when Akinde provided a cool finish to guide the ball past Joel Dixon from Danny Lloyd’s low cross.

And Steve Evans’ men doubled their lead moments later when Dempsey found the bottom corner with a ruthless strike from the edge of the area.

The Gills nearly had a third on the half-hour mark when Jack Tucker rose well to meet the midfielder’s inviting corner, but his header cannoned off the bar.

Kachunga then sent a header wide at the other end after meeting Sheehan’s delivery, but referee Ben Toner had already blown for a foul.

And Cumming made a decent stop on the stroke of half-time to tip over the Welshman’s free-kick, which had flicked off the wall and appeared to be looping in.

George Johnston was replaced by Will Aimson at the break – the defender’s first league appearance since joining the Whites from Plymouth over the summer.

The second half almost got off to a disastrous start for Wanderers when Sheehan’s poor backpass put Vadaine Oliver through on goal, but the forward fired into the side netting with the goal at his mercy.

Joel Dixon then made a superb double save to twice deny Oliver, first diving low to his right before smothering the danger from close range.

Cumming made a decent stop to deny Lloyd Isgrove from a tight angle after Kieran Lee had played him in on the right wing.

The Gillingham stopper then did well to keep out Afolayan’s strike from just outside the box before making a simpler stop from Kachunga’s header at the far post.

Oliver then blazed over from inside the area after pouncing on a poor clearance from John on his return to the side.

MJ Williams then missed a golden opportunity to get his side back into the game, failing to keep his effort down from close range after getting on the end of Eoin Doyle’s flick-on.

Cumming made two more smart saves inside the final 15 minutes, first to tip over Kachunga’s powerful strike before denying Doyle low to his left.

John’s deep free kick then fell at the feet of Santos at the far post but the defender failed to hit the target.

But Wanderers pulled one back with five minutes to go when Afolayan gave Cumming absolutely no chance with a ruthless strike from 20 yards.

And Lee tapped provided a simple finish from John's low cross in injury time to rescue a point.

Bolton: Dixon, Isgrove, Santos, Johnston (Aimson 45), John, Williams, Lee, Kachunga (Delfouneso 83), Sheehan (Bakayoko 52), Afolayan, Doyle

Gillingham: Cumming, Jackson, O’Keefe, Ehmer, Tucker, Dempsey, McKenzie, Akinde (Adshead 87), Lloyd (Sithole 90+3), Bennett, Oliver