A penalty shoot-out defeat sent Gillingham out of the Emirates FA Cup and also ended Kent’s involvement in this season’s Emirates FA Cup. 

After Elliott Nevitt’s strike had given the Gills the lead at Newport County, the home side levelled to force extra time, the Welshmen looked like they were heading through after edging in front in extra time before Seb Palmer-Houlden leveled the tie with one of the last kicks of the extra period to force the penalties.

Which were to prove controversial as after magnificently saving one home side spot-kick, Jake Turner saved a second after Remeao Hutton’s had been saved only for Mr Martin order the kick from Cemeron Antwi to be retaken and this time the Newport man netted. Then when Sam Vokes crashed his effort off the bar, Ben Lloyd held his nerve to drill the ball past a despairing Turner and the Gills – and Kent football – had no further interest in this year’s competition. 

The game had started brightly for the Gills who hadn’t won since their visit to Rodney Parade six weeks ago with Josh Andrews firing just too high in the early stages before Nevitt struck – Hutton’s ball was helped on by Robbie McKenzie for Nevitt who’s shot seemed to get a deflection which left keeper Jordan Wright wrongfooted as the ball flew into the County net. 

The Newport keeper then pulled off a great save to deny a towering header as the home side struggled to get a foot hold. There were loud shouts for a home penalty that Mr. Martin waved away before Turner made his first save of note doing superbly to keep out an effort from Lee Jenkins. But from the corner the home side did level as the ball wasn’t cleared and Cameron Evans crashed home at the back post through a sea of blue! 

Antwi and Max Clark had efforts blocked at both ends as the second period became a battle of nerves with both sides knowing that one mistake could send them out of the competition. Half time sub Nelson Khumbeni nearly slid the Gills back in front but couldn’t just reach enough to convert Palmer-Houlden’s ball across the box whilst Turner did well to deny Habeeb Ogunneye.

The Gillingham keeper could do nothing when Ged Garner hammered the visitor’s crossbar and when Wright produced the save of the game to deny Sam Gale a very late winner, the game headed into extra-time. 

In the first period, Turner again excelled keeping Sammy Braybrooke’s effort out before early in the second period, Newport took the lead as Michael Reindorf pulled the ball back to Antwi to sweep the ball home.

Reindorf saw an effort hit the outside of a post after a deflections as the Gillis left more and more gaps as they went in search of an equaliser, before in the last minute of extra time, Palmer-Houlden ran onto a lovely touch from Khumbeni, and drilled the ball beyond Wright and into the bottom corner to force penalties. 

Sadly, for Gillingham, lady luck went against them, and they bowed out of the Cup after a penalty shoot-out for the very first time! 

NEWPORT COUNTY – Wright, Ogunneye (Brennan), Jenkins (Odimayo), Evans, Thomas, Braybrooke, Whitmore (Kamwa), Antwi, Lloyd, Garner (Reindorf), Baker-Richardson 

Subs – Tzanev, Glennon, Alexander-Walker, Pugh, McKenzie  

GILLINGHAM – Turner, Hutton, McKenzie (Akomeah) Andy Smith, Gale, Clark, Coleman (Rowe), Little (Khumbeni), Dack (Cirino), Andrews (Palmer-Houlden), Nevitt (Vokes) 

Subs – Holtam, Ogie, Wyllie  

REFEREE – Mr. Martin 

Image courtesy of Gillingham FC