Young Gills in action at Chatham Town
A host of missed chances and a debatable penalty decision ultimately cost a young Gillingham Development XI the chance of lifting the 130th Anniversary Trophy at Chatham Town on Sunday afternoon.Three minutes later the RE's took a surprise lead when O'Neill denied James Hubbard but the ball ran loose allowing Alan Taylor to score.
Gillingham keeper Dan O'Neill made a smart save in tipping over a header from Mark Green but his failure to collect a 25th minute corner allowed Rob Ridley to scramble home the equaliser.
May and Alex Brown had both tested Dean Love before captain Tom Brunt fired the Gills into an 8th minute lead with a terrific strike from around 20 yards.
The Gills then joined the action with the Royal Engineers, after around half-hour’s rest, the opposition.
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The first game of the afternoon saw Chatham facing the RE's at 12.15pm but despite a bright start by the Engineers it was the home side who ran out an easy 5-1 victors. Much travelled French forward Jean Michel Sigere netted twice while Lee Pleasance, Rodrique N'Diane and Syd Kamara added the others for Town while Mark Green got the Sappers consolation.
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Included in Mark Patterson's squad was 28-year-old Gravesend born striker Ben May, who has played for Millwall, Scunthorpe United and Stevenage amongst others but ended last season on loan at Barnet, and featured in both run-outs.
All three participating teams won one 60-minute game in front of a 135 crowd but in the end it was Kevin Watson's Chats that lifted the trophy, KCFA Chairman Barry Bright handing it over, thanks to a better goal difference.
The trophy brought together three teams with something to celebrate this season, the hosts are starting their 130th season, the Royal Engineers AFC, who are a mere 150 years old and the Gills who changed their name from New Brompton 100 years ago.
Kane Haysman in action against the Royal Engineers
At the end of the game mementos were handed out to the Royal Engineers and the Gills before Barry Bright handed the trophy to a seemingly somewhat reluctant Chats skipper Jack Jefferey.
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: Hawkes, Parkinson (Parter H/T), Beale, Hare (Carter H/T), Brunt (Lee H/T), Brown (Staunton H/T), Humber (Blanchard H/T), Haysman (Parkinson 54), Webster (Humber 54), Millbank (Maughan H/T), May (Coates H/T)
Gills
Then in the 54th minute the Chats pulled one back through Stephen Okoh and then Hawkes was forced to pull off a great double save to deny Okoh and ensure the Gills held on for victory.
Then Jack Parter fired wide and Alfie Coates saw a snapshot from the area punched away by the keeper following a Beale right-wing corner.
First Kane Haysman's great touch put Webster in again but this time a poor first touch allowed Aaron Crosby to save.
There were a number of Gillingham changes at the break but the flow of the game didn't really change with the visitors continuing to create openings.
Right on the half-time whistle the lead was doubled when Brown went on a superb solo run past a couple of challenges down the left before sliding a left-foot strike beyond the keeper.
Then in the 17th minute the Gills went ahead. May and Millbank were involved in the build-up but it was Webster who burst into the area and stroked the ball home past Ollie Dewey.
At the other end a long range strike from Lee Hales was turned aside by Daren Hawkes.
It was the visitors who had the better start and in the early stages May and Brown failed to test the keeper while Beale saw a free-kick blocked.
The final game of the tournament saw a much-changed Chatham outfit entertaining the Gills.
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- O'Neill (Hawkes H/T), Parter, Carter (Beale 52), Brunt, Lee, Maughan (Hare 38), Humber (Webster 40), Coates (Haysman 38), May (Millbank 52), Miller, Brown
Gills
Webster saw another effort blocked by the keeper before the Engineers were gifted the opportunity of a 56th minute winner when Ollie Lee was adjudged to have held down an opponent and referee Tim Burman awarded a soft looking penalty from which Scott Roy converted.
May had a great chance to put the Gills ahead almost straight after but having taken Jack Parter's pass beyond the onrushing Love his shot went across the face of goal.
Early in the second-half Ashley Miller saw a fierce free-kick tipped onto the bar, May put a follow-up header over but the Gills did level matters in the 43rd minute when substitute Charlie Webster (pictured top right) found himself in the right place to find the corner of the net following some sloppy defending on the edge of the area.