Second half strikes from Elliott List and Bradley Stevenson at least meant Gillingham won one tie in this year’s Checkatrade Trophy as Crawley Town were beaten in front of one of the smallest gates that Priestfield has ever seen for a competitive fixture.

Gills boss Steve Lovell played just three who had featured in Saturday’s dreadful draw with Hartlepool – List, Billy Bingham and Connor Ogilvie – and of the rest of his squad, there was a full debut late on for birthday boy Jack Tucker.

The first half was played with both sides almost getting to know each other with Ogilvie partnering Alex Lacey at the heart of a defence in front of Tom Hadler, which in truth looked comfortable, which is why it was a surprise when Crawley took the lead with Dominic Poleon shot beyond Hadler and into the net.

The game which was played almost like a pre-season game in the first half, saw both sides create half chances after the goal with Gills going close when Bingham was denied by the keeper, before Alex Lacey made a terrific block at the other end to deny Grego-Cox.

The first signs that the Gills were getting a real hold on the game came just after the break courtesy of Crawley defender McNerney, who in dealing with along ball forward, only succeeded in heading the ball over keeper Mersin and just past the right post.

Navid Nasseri then went close with a low drive that keeper Mersin appeared to touch round the post only for referee Drysdale to give a goal kick.

The Gills though were level moments later when Dean Parrett’s free kick was only cleared high into the air and somehow as the ball dropped, List back heeled the ball and into the net.

Noel Mbo then let fly from distance only to see the ball flash just too high, before at the other end somehow Poleon cleared Hadler’s bar from inside the six-yard box after a super ball in from the right flank.

With penalties looming, up stepped Stevenson. Just on from List, Stevenson’s low drive fizzed off the Priestfield turf and found its way into the bottom corner of the net.

Crawley still had the chance to force a shoot out, but Hadler will have been very delighted to pull off a terrific late point-blank stop to deny Poleon.

Gillingham then at least end their Check-A-Trade Trophy campaign with a win that means they finish third in the group behind Portsmouth the group winners and the under 23s from Spurs, and perhaps more importantly with next week’s Emirates FA Cup replay in mind, they’ve also finally scored a Cup goal in season 2018/2019 after Cup blanks against Millwall, Portsmouth, the young Spurs and of course Hartlepool!

Gillingham: Tom Hadler, Bradley Garmston, Alex Lacey, Dean Parrett, Elliott List (Bradley Stevenson 64), Billy Bingham (Ben Chapman 74), Navid Nasseri (Henry Woods 78), Aaron Simpson, Josh Rees, Connor Ogilvie, Noel Mbo.

Subs not used: Louis Catherall, Jack Tucker, Danny Divine, Roman Campbell.

Crawley: Yusuf Mersin, Josh Doherty, Joe McNerney, Reece Grego-Cox, Dominic Poleon (David Sesay 65), George Francomb, A Nathaniel George, Romain Vincelot, Dannie Bulman, Tarryn Allarkhia (Mark Randall 80), Bondz N’Gala.

Subs not used: Glenn Morris, Joe Maguire, Brian Galach, Panutche Camara.

Referee: Mr Darren Drysdale

Picture supplied by Kent Pro Images.