A PAIR of injury-time strikes saw Cherries rescue a 2-2 draw against Gillingham in the Final Third Development League this afternoon.

Josh Carmichael's penalty was followed by substitute Ben Whitfield's far-post finish as the hosts finished with a flourish at Hamworthy Club.

The Gills went ahead through Brennan Dickenson's close-range header early in the second half but suffered a setback when Josh Pritchard was sent off for a dangerous challenge on Mohamed Coulibaly.

But the visitors appeared to have sealed the points through Antonio German's stunning strike two minutes from time before Cherries launched their last-ditch bid for a deserved share of the spoils.

Cherries started well with the influential Sam Matthews creating chances for Carmichael and the returning Harry Cornick during the opening exchanges.

Mohamed Coulibaly also went close, driving in from the left with his shot from distance straight at the Gills goalkeeper.

But the home side was made to pay for passing up promising openings as Dickenson met a deep cross in the six-yard box.

With a one-man advantage in the final 20 minutes, Cherries looked to get back on level terms but got caught on the break when German struck.

Undeterred, substitute Sam Surridge won a penalty in injury-time which was put away by Carmichael to set up a tense finale before Whitfield converted Aly Coulibaly's cross to level matters.

Cherries: Holmes, Muleba, Lee, Simpson, Buckley, Cornick (Surridge, 78), Butcher, Carmichael, Matthews, M Coulibaly (A Coulibaly, 75), O'Hanlon (Whitfield, 63). Unused substitutes: Randall, O'Flaherty (g/k).