Ben White's Gills cruise through to the third round of the cup after excellent display at Whaddon Road.
Gillingham booked their place in the third round of the FA Youth Cup following a dominant 4-0 win over Cheltenham Town at Whaddon Road on Wednesday evening.
Ben Allen and George Sheminant both found the target in the first-half with Charles Noyelle and Roman Campbell netting after the break to ensure Gills go on to play Blackburn Rovers in the third round.
The visitors were rarely threatened throughout with the hosts simply unable to hold off the attacking threats of Noyelle, Allen and Campbell in attack.
Ben White kept faith with the same team that defeated AFC Wimbledon 3-1 in the opening round with Joe Walsh in goal, Miquel Scarlett operating at right-back with Tommy Lamb and TJ Bramble the holding midfielders.
Campbell played up front with Jude Arthurs, Allen and Noyelle in support.
First-Team Coach Mark Patterson and Academy Manager Bryan Bull were also in attendance.
It didn’t take long for Gills to seize the advantage, taking the lead inside six minutes. Allen received the ball on the edge of the box, found space for a shot with his left foot and drilled it past Freddie Lapworth who stood no chance.
It was what the visitors deserved after camping in the Cheltenham half for the opening few minutes and Allen’s shot was well struck.
Thomas Chamberlain’s 40-yard free-kick for Cheltenham sailed over the bar on the quarter hour mark with Gills well in control at this stage; Campbell coming very close to grabbing a second for the hosts moments later as his left footed effort from inside the box cleared the bar, following good work by Tommy Lamb and Jack Morrell.
The hosts rarely threatened in the first-half with Joe Walsh only required for goal-kicks and to clear from the back as Gills refused to surrender the upper hand. Another shot from Allen was blocked with both Campbell and Noyelle involved in the build-up.
On 36 minutes Cheltenham had a golden chance to draw level when a forward pass to Joshua Gilkes beat the offside trap, Walsh came out to narrow the gap which appeared to force the player to hit it early. His strike from 20 yards cleared the bar.
With just seconds left on the clock in the first-half, Gillingham edged further in front. A free-kick from Noyelle was delivered to the back post, Fernandez headed it back across goal and Sheminant gambled, getting himself to the loose ball ahead of the keeper and converting from close range.
H/T: 0-2
Gills started the second half well and could have netted a third with TJ Bramble firing just wide with a penalty shout from Noyelle turned down just moments before.
Ben White’s side had been a constant threat throughout the game in attack, and on 61 minutes Gillingham put the game beyond doubt. Arthurs received the ball on the right hand side of the penalty area; he looked tempted to shoot but held the ball up for a couple of seconds, spotted the run of Noyelle and his pass was perfectly weighted for the forward who drilled home from six yards.
The attacking threat from the visitors didn’t disappear though with Noyelle and Campbell too hot for Cheltenham to handle and some heroic last ditch defending prevented Roman from potentially adding a fourth when, having skipped past two defenders, a sliding challenge stopped him in his tracks before a right-footed effort from Bancroft, on for Bramble, went narrowly wide of the far post.
There was still time to add a fourth though; a ball from the right found Campbell in space and from close range diverted a header beyond Lapworth, who was unable to get anywhere near it with the Gills number nine completely unmarked.
F/T: 0-4
Cheltenham: Lapworth, Brennan, Scott, Richards, Handley, Briscoe, Duncan, Gilkes, Basford, Chamberlain (Horton 81), Stanton (Ebanks 66).
Unused subs: Paterson, Clift, Davis.
Gills: Walsh, Scarlett (Blanks 86), Fernandez, Sheminant, Morrell, Lamb, Bramble (Bancroft 67), Arthurs, Allen, Noyelle (Laing 82), Campbell.
Unused subs: Witt, Hards.
Referee: Mr N Pratt
Attendance: 212
Scorers: Allen, Sheminant, Noyelle, Campbell.