Experienced Sheppey side overcome a young Gills XI at Holm Park.
A young Gills XI were beaten by a strong Sheppey side at Holm Park on Friday night.
Mark Moss named six trialists in the starting XI with Josh Woodliffe and Ben White also named. Harry Bridle, George Hutcheon and Kai Garrett were among the subs.
The hosts bossed proceedings in the first half and took the lead on seven minutes when a shot from Richie Hamill inside the box took a wicked deflection, wrong footed the keeper and ended up in the back of the net.
Just shy of the 20-minute mark the goal of the night was scored when a corner kick was cleared as far as one of the Sheppey trialists, who struck a 30-yard effort perfectly and it flew into the top corner, giving the Gills stopper no chance.
On 30 minutes Sheppey netted a third when Dan Bradshaw chased a long ball over the top, he got the right side of Woodliffe and poked the ball beyond the oncoming goalkeeper. Josh Wisson nearly got a fourth before the interval but his lobbed effort from 35 yards came off the crossbar.
HT: Sheppey United 3-0 Gillingham
The visitors made four changes at the interval and it seemed to have an impact with Gills also changing shape. Kai Garrett came on and looked lively on the left side, setting up a half chance on 62 minutes when Webster received the ball outside the box and tried his luck, left footed, from 20 yards but the shot proved comfortable for Aiden Prall.
A few minutes later Garrett had an opportunity himself when he burst into the penalty area and, from a tight angle, forced a fine save. Harry Bridle had an effort cleared just before the goal line on 78 minutes, having come on to replace Garrett.
Eddie Allsopp struck the post and then Tobey Smith made a good save late on to deny a fourth, but he was unable to repeat his antics a few minutes later when a cross from the left was threaded right through to the back post where Jack Marsh was sprinting towards, he made good contact and found the opposite corner with a well timed shot.
FT: Sheppey United 4-0 Gillingham
Sheppey: Prall, Morgan (Diallo 64), Majoyegbe, Trialist, Hamill (Catherick 89), Leonard (Marsh 82), Wilkins (Birch 45), Bradshaw (Trialist HT), Allsop, Trialist (Monahan 82), Wisson (Clark HT).
Unused subs: Glock, Marsh, Beard.
Gills: Trialist (T Smith 46), Webster (Bezsant 73), Trialist, Woodliffe (Trialist 61), Dobbs (Hutcheon 69), Trialist (Trialist 46), Waldock (Khumba 70), White (Humphrey 70), Trialist (Garrett 46 (Bridle 69), Trialist (Dayal HT)