Gills players celebrate their final goal Picture: Barry Goodwin

Gillingham came back from a two-goal deficit twice to claim a dramatic win over Hereford in League 2 on Tuesday night.

After conceding twice in the opening seven minutes at Priestfield, the Gills made it all-square as Chris Whelpdale struck just before the break and Danny Kedwell netted soon after the restart.

Hereford looked to have made the game safe with another two goals, but Charlie Lee struck to leave just a goal between the sides again.

Charlie Lee added another goal two minutes before the end and to make it 4-4, but it needed a penalty save from keeper Paulo Gazzaniga to keep the scores the level.

Gavin Tomlin was the hero with a stoppage time winner.

Gillingham made a terrible start to the match and found themselves 2-0 down after just seven minutes, against a side who they beat 6-1 in September.

Young full-back Jack Evans was at fault for both. With just three minutes gone he tripped Thomas Barkhuizen in the box and Hereford skipper Rob Purdie netted the resulting penalty.

Four minutes later Barkhuizen left Evans for dead, before planting the ball across Gills keeper Paulo Gazzaniga to put the visitors into a commanding position.

The Gills finally settled into the game with Whelpdale and Tomlin looking sprightly as they attempted to get the hosts back into contention.

Visiting keeper Dave Cornell made a good block from Tomlin, as he latched onto Whelpdale’s ball over the defence.

Moments later the linesman’s flag denied Gillingham a goal. Evans had rolled in a cross for Tomlin, but he was deemed offside.

Whelpdale smashed a volley narrowly wide as half-time loomed but, with 45 minutes on the clock, Gillingham grabbed a lifeline as Tomlin released Danny Jackman down the left and the pinpoint cross was smashed home by the home number seven. It was Whelpdale’s fifth goal of the season.

Gillingham took less than a minute of the second half to level and it was Kedwell who struck with a glancing header from a Charlie Lee throw. Lee had only just come on as a half-time sub for Evans.

With an hour gone both teams had a chance to take the lead.

A rare mistake from Simon King allowed Hereford in on goal, but Barkhuizen’s shot was well saved by Gazzaniga and at the other end Cornell did well to block Curtis Weston’s goal-bound effort.

Tomlin then almost netted with a low cross that missed everyone and went just past the post, while Hereford’s Will Evans blasted an effort narrowly over.

With 20 minutes left the Gills found themselves behind again when Evans’ powerful shot was blocked by Gazzaniga but it fell into the path of Barkhuizen and he netted Hereford’s third.

Hereford added a fourth 10 minutes later as former Gills forward Delroy Facey stood a cross up for Evans and he headed home, only for Charlie Lee to net for the home side straight from the restart with a low shot that rolled in from outside the area.

With the Gills pressing again for an equaliser, Gazzaniga needed to make a great save low down to deny Hereford a fifth as Evans struck from the edge of the area.

Gillingham weren’t finished and with 88 minutes on the clock sub Oliver Lee found his namesake Charlie and he beat the defender before smashing an unstoppable shot into the net.

The celebrations had barely stopped as Gazzaniga tripped Barkhuizen on the edge of the box and the referee pointed to the spot. But the Argentine redeemed himself by saving the spot-kick from Hereford captain Purdie.

The Gills surged forward in injury time and in the 94 minute Tomlin popped up in the box to score the winner with an overhead kick.

Gillingham: Gazzaniga, King, Evans (C Lee 46mins), Essam, Jackman, Payne, Whelpdale (O Lee 77mins), Weston (Montrose 77mins), Kedwell, Kuffour, Tomlin. Subs not used: Hawkes, Davies.

Hereford: Cornell, Anthony, Williams (Clucas 74mins), Townsend, Purdie, Lunt, Clist, Evans, Barkhuizen, Taylor (Colbeck 83mins), Facey. Subs not used: Bartlett, Elder, McQuilkin.

Attendance: 3,784