Gillingham’s youngsters bowed out of the FA Youth Cup on a blustery night at Priestfield to Sunderland. 

The home side had reached the fourth round with wins over Ware, Eastleigh and Oxford United but found the young Black Cats completely different opposition and struggled to come to terms with the slick play of their opponents. 

In the end the visitors ran out worthy winners and now face Swindon Town in Round Five, but Sunderland would have returned North knowing that they had been in a battle. 

It was the visitors who struck first when skipper Luke Bell fired home from the edge of the box when the Gills did not clear a corner – the central defender firing past a stranded Tobey Smith. 

Kai Garrett almost created an immediate equaliser as he sprinted down the right and beat keeper Matt Young sliding out into the right back position. Sadly, for home side, Garrett had been forced to wide and the chance was gone. 

Smith pulled off a great save to deny the lively Trey Ogunsuyi – tipping his drive over into the deserted Rainham End before there was a moment of controversy at the other end.

Garrett and Bell were involved in a foot race down the right channel, and inside the box, the defender seemed to push the striker over as they came together inside of the box… referee Warren though was not interested! 

Just before the break, Logan Dobbs arrived late to meet a Josh Bayliss corner, but the glancing header whistled past Sunderland’s right post. 

The swirling wind seemed to intensify during the half time break and after the restart it was the visitors who took control of the contest and doubled their lead just before the hour as Ogunsuyi took advantage of the ball rebounding off of a defender and Smith. 

The second goal seemed to knock the stuffing out of the young Gills and Ben Creamer headed a great ball from Chris Rigg wide of the home goal, before another Rigg cross was caught in the wind forcing Smith to palm the ball onto the frame of the goal but somehow Ogunsuyi could not convert from three yards! 

Josh Robertson then sealed the visitors’ progress ten minutes from time as he swept home the move of the match as Rigg and Ogunsuyi combined brilliantly down the left and Robertson gave Smith no chance from six yards. 

Harry Webster almost got the goal that the Gills efforts deserved as his late shot was well saved by Young and Stan Skipper’s follow-up was blocked, but it could have been worse for the home side as Rigg who was instrumental in most of Sunderland’s good play crashed a stoppage-time pile driver against Smith’s crossbar. 

GILLINGHAM – Smith, Webster, Walker, Skipper, Dobbs, Taiwo-Pratt, Murray (Beszant 71), Waldock, Garrett, Bayliss, Heasman (Dayal 82). 

Subs not used – Hegerty, Orpwood, Woodliffe, Millbank, Bridle.

SUNDERLAND – Young, Sekete (Jenson Jones 76), Beattie, Jaydon Jones (Whittaker 85), Bell, Lavery, Creamer, Rigg, Ogunsuyi, Robertson, Watson. 

Subs not used – Cameron, Okitikende, Mitchell, Chung, Kindon. 

REFEREE – Mr G Warren 

Attendance: 337

Picture supplied by Gillingham Football Club.