Gills will play Doncaster Rovers in the second round of the Emirates FA Cup after beating Sunderland 1-0 at MEMS Priestfield Stadium.
Brandon Hanlan’s extra time goal helped Gillingham set up a second-round tie with Doncaster Rovers in the Emirates FA Cup, thanks to a 1-0 win over Sunderland at MEMS Priestfield Stadium.
After a quiet 90 minutes, the Gills dominated the extra half hour, and moments after Max Ehmer had thumped a shot against the bar, Hanlan fired into the corner to give the Gills victory.
Gillingham made one change to the side that beat Lincoln City in League One on Saturday. Mikael Mandron dropped out of the squad due to illness, with Alex Jakubiak coming into the XI to replace him. Ben Pringle returned to the squad, having missed out at the weekend after his wife had given birth.
Sunderland had the first chance of the game after just four minutes, as Lauren De Bock rose highest to head Chris Maguire’s free-kick wide of the far post. After 15 minutes, they nearly went ahead in fortuitous circumstances, as Max Power’s misdirected cross almost caught out Jack Bonham, who did well to turn it round the post.
Gillingham’s first chance came after 23 minutes when Mark Byrne’s excellent cross found Brandon Hanlan, but he wasn’t able get his header on target. Hanlan had the Gills’ next effort as well, finding room on the right before firing an effort that was deflected just wide of the post by Alim Ozturk.
H/T: Gillingham 0-0 Sunderland
Hanlan had the first opening after the break, but Sunderland keeper’ Lee Burge did well to gather his low cross.
After 58 minutes, the Gills made their first change, as Alex Jakubiak came off to be replaced by Mikael Ndjoli.
The Gills had another opening on the hour mark, as Mark Byrne’s low cross was flicked just wide of the near post by Olly Lee. It took Sunderland until 70 minutes to have their first shot of the half, as Will Grigg found some room on the edge of the area, before striking wide of the post.
The Gills came close with little over ten minutes left, when Lee’s corner was helped over the bar by Alfie Jones at the near post. The home side were having the better of the game at this stage, and Byrne was the next man to try his luck, shooting over from the edge of the box.
In added time, Gillingham launched one more attack, with Lee’s cross bringing a goalmouth scramble in the six-yard box, and Hanlan seeing a shot blocked.
F/T: Gillingham 0-0 Sunderland
Ten minutes into extra time, Gillingham had the best chance of the game so far. Hanlan rose highest to head over the bar from Lee’s corner. Soon after the Gills seemed to be denied a clear penalty, as Byrne’s cross bounced up and struck the hand of substitute Jack Bainbridge, but the referee was unmoved.
With half time in extra time losing, Gillingham came as close as anyone had all night. Max Ehmer took down Byrne’s cross well, before turning and firing a stunning effort against the crossbar.
With the last action before half time, the Gills got the goal their pressure deserved. Lee found room on the edge and played in Hanlan, who drilled it beyond Burge and into the corner to make it 1-0.
H/T- E/T: Gillingham 1-0 Sunderland
The Gills pressure continued into the second half of extra time, as Barry Fuller’s cross was clawed away from Hanlan at the far post. That was the final action though, as the Gills progressed to the second round of the cup.
F/T- E/T- Gillingham 1-0 Sunderland
Gillingham: Bonham, Fuller, Tucker, Ehmer, Ogilvie, O’Keefe, Jones, Byrne, Lee, Jakubiak (Ndjoli 58), Hanlan
Unused subs: Walsh, Hodson, Charles-Cook, Cisse, Pringle, Marshall
Sunderland: Burge, O’Nien, Ozturk (Bainbridge 90), Taylor, De Bock, Hume (McGeouch 105), Power, Leadbitter, Maguire, Grigg (Connelly 111), Watmore (McGeady 63)
Unused subs: Patterson, Sammut, Mumba
Referee: Mr A Young
Attendance: 3,561 (329 away)
