By Chris Dicketts
Gillingham Ladies eased into the second round of the Kent Cup with a comprehensive victory at Martin Grove on Sunday afternoon.
The pitch was not at its best but the Gills made the better of the conditions, and were 5-0 up at half time thanks to a brace from Natalie Crinean and Vicky Ashton-Jones as well as a goal from Ashlee Hincks.
The second half failed to live up to the standard of the first half but there was still time for Ashlee Hincks to score her second of the game and for Crinean to score her hat trick.
Manager Ian Varley made three changes from the team that won in the first round of the FA Cup last weekend. Kate Foster came in at right back for Whitney Judd, Laura East replaced Deanna Cooper and Laura Halfpenny replaced Katie Duffy at the last minute in goal.
It took just three minutes for the Gills to create their first chance, Ash Hincks robbed the defender of the ball and fed in Danni Farmer but her shot went just wide.
Just two minutes later and this time it was Farmer who turned provider, she fed the ball to Ash Hincks who in turn laid it off to Natalie Crinean but her shot went just wide.
These two early chances set the Gills stall out and it was just three minutes later that they took the lead. Natalie Crinean played in Ashlee Hincks and her snap shot found the bottom corner past the despairing dive of the keeper Bethany Mercer.
The Gills went 2-0 up when Ashlee Hincks broke down the left wing she found Natalie Crinean who took the ball rounded the defender and slotted home.
In the 23rd minute it was 3-0 and game over when Jodie Mugford played a ball over the top that split the defence in two. Vicky Ashton-Jones came streaking in off of the right wing and slid the ball home.
Two minutes later and it was 4-0 to the Gills who were once again playing in yellow for the second week in a row at home. Danni Farmer had the vision to see Natalie Crinean and played a pin point ball over the top that just needed the striker to tap into the back of the net.
It took until the half hour mark for Maidstone Town to register their only shot on target in the entire ninety minutes. The ball was worked to Gemma Sullivan who hit a shot from the edge of the area that was comfortably saved by Laura Halfpenny.
In the 37th minute Ashlee Hincks swung in a corner and Jodie Mugford rose highest at the far post but saw her header crash back off the post, and cleared away to safety.
A minute later and the Gills were 5-0 up as Vicky Ashton-Jones grabbed her second of the game and her third in the last two games. Danni Farmer who had another good game in the centre of midfield dinked a ball over the top and Ashton-Jones rounded the keeper and slotted into the empty net.
Half time 5-0
The deteriorating condition of the pitch didn't help the Gills attacking flair in the second half but they were still good for their opponents.
Vicky Ashton-Jones who ran her socks off on the right wing all afternoon headed down the right wing shortly after half time. She cut inside and tried to play a cross right across the substitute goalkeeper but she gathered it at the second time of asking with Gills attackers lurking.
A minute later and a loose ball found its way to Natalie Crinean her shot hit a defender on its way to goal and cannoned into the path of Hincks, she hit a shot just wide of the near post.
On the hour mark the Gills could have gone further ahead when Ashton-Jones hit a cross into the Maidstone area. Danni Farmer rose highest of all the players in the area but her header was tipped onto the cross bar and then forced away for a corner.
In the 70th minute Jodie Mugford played the ball to Ashlee Hincks she found some space and laid it off to Danni Farmer who hit her shot just wide once again.
The Gills made it 6-0 in the 80th minute when Ashlee Hincks bagged her second goal of the game with a well taken shot past the Maidstone goalkeeper.
A minute later and the Gills went 7-0 up as they found their goal scoring touch once more after huffing and puffing for most of the second half.
Kate Foster played the ball to Ashlee Hincks who had now come over to the right wing to vary things for the Gills; she played the ball into Natalie Crinean who slotted home for her hat trick.
The Gills could have made it 8-0 just four minutes before the end of the game. Ashlee Hincks put a free kick into the Maidstone area. Charlotte Abbott attempted an over head kick that was saved by the keeper after having goal written all over it; unfortunately for Anna Broad she couldn't force the rebound home.
Full Time 7-0
Girl of the match: Vicky Ashton-Jones
Gills: Halfpenny, Foster, Herrett, Lyon (c) (Ahern, 63), Kay, East, Farmer (Broad, 84), Mugford, Hincks, Ashton-Jones (Abbott, 75), Crinean
Subs not used: Judd
Maidstone: Mercer, Bulless, Spragg, Collison, Carey, Lepetoiz, Davis, Sullivan, Grimes, Morris, Rafferty
Subs: Doromboze, Colia, Brewer
