Gillingham beat Championship side Millwall at MEMS Priestfield as Gareth Ainsworth’s rebuilding took another step forward towards the Carabao Cup first round and League Two opening day in twenty-five day’s time.
With a crowd of over three and a half thousand watching on – boosted by eighteen hundred visitors almost filling the Gordon Road Stand – the opening half was an absorbing battle that the Gills deservedly edged through Will Goodwin’s goal.
The second period brought the expected substitutions – all twenty of them – but what the second period lacked in goal scoring chances, it more than made up for in effort.
Ronan Hale had the Gills first chance as he forced Lukas Jensen into a smart save which Goodwin was inches away from converting the rebound. Hale then turned saviour as from Millwall’s first effort, Jake Cooper’s header went past Lennon MacLorg’s left hand only for Hale to hack the ball off the line!
The Gills went in front after James Brophy and Nick Freeman combined brilliantly down the right and Goodman was on hand to roll Freeman’s pull back over the line.
It was so very nearly two moments later after horrendous control from Jensen laid the ball on a plate almost for Hale, but the Northern Irish striker was unlucky with his second connection and the chance was gone.
The Championship side eventually grew into the game and MacLorg was forced into a fine low save to deny Josh Coburn after a defensive slip and the Gills keeper produced the save of the half to keep out Mathis Servais’s low drive as the first half due to a close.
Half time saw Millwall replace all ten outfield players, and they started the second period on the front foot but the Gills back line with both Omar Beckles and Andy Smith outstanding couldn’t create a clear chance of note.
Indeed, Jansen was a fortunate keeper for a second time as Seb Palmer-Houlden (one of three half time changes for the Gills) charged down a clearance and the keeper was so very lucky that the ball looped inches wide of his right post.
The remaining seven outfield players were replaced on the hour but yet the visitors whilst having lots of possession struggled with the final ball to such an extent that the Gills began to look dangerous on the break.
Chances though were few and far between and it was only in the closing minutes that MacLorg and his “new” back line were really tested. Jenson Metcalfe outpaced the Gills down Millwall’s left and his ball into the box was asking to be fired home before Sam Gale’s magnificent interception – that was on eight six minutes – and two minutes later Sheldon Kendall’s near post effort brought a really smart save out of MacLorg.
The final whistle came shortly afterwards and was greeted with renewed optimism from the faithful as the Gills continue to build towards that opening weekend in August.
GILLINGHAM – MacLorg, Beckles, Gordon, Smith, Harris, Freeman, Goodwin, Hale, McKenzie, Albarus, Brophy.
Second half subs – Wright, Whitlock, Palmer-Houlden, Beszant, Khumbeni, Dobbs, Waldock, Dayal, Luxton, Gale, Theodore, Booth.
MILLWALL – Jensen, Cooper, Servais, Azeez, Leonard, Coburn, Cundle, Bangura-Williams, Taylor, Doughty, Mazou-Sacko.
Second half subs – Lamptey, Grant, Baggott, Sykes, Kendall, Neghli, Massey, Metcalfe, Matthews, Lovelace.
REFEREE – Mr. Searle
Pictures supplied by Gillingham Football Club.