With all the recent rainfall, the pitch at the Boots & Laces ground was very heavy for this Youth Alliance League encounter between Gillingham and league leaders Southend.

Skipper Connor Essam would doubtless have preferred the game was called off when just two minutes into the first half he became the second Gills youngster in successive outings to put through his own net. Indeed there was stunned silence around the ground as Marcus Milner cut a hopeful ball back across goal only to see the visitors centre-half apply the finish from 12 yards.

Gillingham recovered from the early setback and played some neat football despite the heavy conditions, carving out some decent chances to equalise. Josh Sargeant going closest, sliding in to meet a right-wing cross that drew a close range save from keeper Brandon Hall.

Just as they seemed to be gaining the upper hand in the game, the visitors were hit with a sucker punch in the 30^th minute as Kyle Asante went to ground in the box, winning a soft penalty which he duly converted to give the Shrimpers a 2-0 lead.

The Gills knew they would need to make an immediate impact at the start of the second half and set out to reduce the deficit direct from the restart. Essam saw a powerful header cleared off the line, Sargeant's left foot strike was well saved while Dean Rance was unlucky with a header that drifted the wrong side of the post.

Their profligacy in front of goal was punished with 20 minutes to go as a partially cleared free-kick fell to Merrick James-Lewis whose deflected drive found the corner of the net from 25 yards.

Although disappointed with the scoreline Manager Mark Patterson felt it was not a fair reflection of the events saying "There were some good performances from our players in difficult conditions. We had a lot of possession in good areas and showed good movement of the ball.

"Josh Sargeant did well at wide left, had the beating of the full back and was unlucky not to score. Our luck will turn; we can't keep creating so many chances without getting the rewards."

Gillingham: Conor Quinn, Olly Bartrum, Connor Essam, Callum Davies, Jack Evans (James Brown 75), Alex Brown (Sam Fisher 45), Dean Rance, Tom Brunt, Josh Sargeant, Tom Murphy, Nathan Nyafli (Ryan Benniman 70).

Subs not used: Ashley Bourne, Liam Geering.