Carling Cup First Round
Tuesday 22 August 2006
The New Den

MILLWALL 2 GILLINGHAM 1

A heartbreaking late winner has ended Gillingham's Carling Cup campaign in the opening round, unlucky to come away without anything to show for a committed effort at the New Den.

Gills manager Ronnie Jepson took the opportunity to mix up his starting lineup, as Guylain Ndumbu-Nsungu and Clint Easton were handed their first starts in Gillingham shirts this season.

It was the Lions strikers though who had the first look at goal, as Brent Sancho did well to get in the way of a half-attempt from Kevin Braniff after five minutes.

After being shut down well by the Northampton Town defence on Saturday, Matty Jarvis was desperate to make an impact, and on 9 minutes found himself on the end of a Mark Bentley delivery, his shot blocked by Zoumana Bakayogo, while it was a team-mate in the way of Michael Flynn's rebound effort.

The first substitution of the match was the linesman's flag, which lasted just 19 minutes before breaking, while it was the Gills making all the going on the pitch.

Clint Easton was given the task of left side corners and while his first was forced out by the Millwall defence for a throw-in, his second was more potent. Former Chelsea 'keeper Lenny Pidgley looked unconvincing as he punched the ball only as far as Michael Flynn, who saw Paul Robinson get in the way of his effort.

Easton was proving a valuable addition to the Gills side, his 30-yard effort on 36 minutes beating a diving Pidgley, only to narrowly miss the far post, while Zac Whitbread was forced into a risky but well executed last man tackle on Dean McDonald to again deny the visitors.

For all the Gills hard work it was terrible misfortune which saw Millwall take the lead on 39 minutes, as Brent Sancho slipped over in a one-on-one challenge with Braniff, who coolly slotted his strike past Darren Randolph.

Nigel Spackman made a half time change as Neal Ardley made way for Filipe Morais, and it was the first half goal-scorer Braniff who again caused the Gillingham defence some trouble, Sancho diving in to dispose the Lions striker as he was preparing to pull the trigger.

Jarvis was continuing to impress after being swapped to the right side with the inclusion of Easton, firstly beating Whitbread for pace before failing to find Mark Bentley on the back post, before a similar run and ball in on 52 minutes managed to evade Ndumbu-Nsungu.

After his half time introduction Morais made his first impact on 57 minutes as his cross in from the right was marginally too big for the heavily involved Braniff on the back post, the referee immediately calling a halt to play with Mark Bentley down in midfield, the former Southend man making way for Andrew Crofts on the hour.

The Gills continued to search for an equaliser, and their best chances arrived on 69 minutes, as Pidgley again weakly punched a corner towards Flynn, who saw a 25 yard strike take a deflection for another corner. That ball in again found the Gills skipper, his strike finding Ndumbu-Nsungu, who forced a last gasp save from Pidgley to ensure his side would keep the advantage. But he and his Lions defensive line would have to deal with yet another corner, the ball in met by Crofts, who's header sailed narrowly over the bar.

Gary Mulligan entered with 16 minutes remaining, but it was the Gills other substitute Crofts who drew the side level with nine minutes remaining in regulation time. After providing so many problems for the Lions defence from corners throughout the match, it was fitting Crofts latched onto a ball in from Easton to head past Pidgley, and keep the Gills Carling Cup hopes alive.

It took just four minutes for those hopes to be extinguished, a carbon copy of the Gills equaliser as a corner in was met by late substitute Poul Hubertz on the back post and headed past Randolph.

Mulligan had one final chance to send the tie into extra time, but he failed to get a shot away quick enough and Pidgley was equal to the task, to see the home side steal the tie, and progress to the second round.

Gillingham: Randolph, Jupp, Sancho, Cox, Jackman, Bentley (Crofts 60), Easton, Flynn, Jarvis, McDonald (Mulligan 73), Ndumbu-Nsungu.
Subs Not Used - Johnson, Clohessy, Pouton.

Millwall: Pidgley, Ross, Robinson, Whitbread, Bakayogo (Craig 78), Hackett, Elliott, Ardley (Morais 45), Mawene (Hubertz 66), Brighton, Braniff.
Subs Not Used - Fuseini, Day

Bookings: Jupp (Gillingham)

Robinson, Braniff (Millwall)

Attendance: 5,040

Referee: Mr Keith Stroud (Hampshire)

Match Report by Glen Lauder