Mo Faal’s stoppage time volley proved the difference as Cheltenham Town came from behind to beat Gillingham 2-1 at The EV Charger Points Stadium.
Gareth Ainsworth made four changes to the starting XI that drew at Salford City, as Conor Masterson, Robbie McKenzie, Bradley Dack and Sam Vokes came into the team.
Garath McCleary was named among the substitutes, having fought through his Achilles issue from the weekend. Lenni Cirino, Nelson Khumbeni and Seb Palmer-Houlden dropped to the bench.
Glenn Morris did well to keep out Jake Bickerstaff’s attempt. The hosts won possession just inside the Gillingham half before breaking forward. Bickerstaff had the ball on the edge of the box before getting beyond a defender and cutting onto his right foot. He tried sending his low attempt towards the far bottom corner, but Morris got down to push clear before Sam Gale cleared the rebound into touch.
Andy Smith had a half-chance in the seventh minute. Armani Little received the ball in the middle of the park with room to run into. As he got beyond an opposing player, he shifted the ball out wide for Remeao Hutton, who delivered a testing cross into the penalty area. Smith ran across a defender to glance his header goalward, but could not make clear contact and it went well wide of the target.
In the 18th minute, Ronan Hale gave Gillingham the lead with a smart finish. Masterson’s long ball was flicked on by Vokes, who did well to outmuscle two opposing defenders. Hale latched onto the loose ball to momentarily get in behind the Cheltenham defence. An opposing defender caught up, but Hale shifted the ball onto his right foot before directing a low drive towards the near post, sneaking past Joe Day.
Little had a fantastic opportunity to double the Gillingham advantage. He intercepted the ball halfway inside the hosts' half before finding Dack, who then spotted the Gillingham captain’s bursting run in behind the Cheltenham defence. Little found himself through on goal, but Day came off his line to close the angle. The midfielder tried rounding the goalkeeper, but he did well to take it from his feet.
The Robins’ goalkeeper denied the visitors again, as he made two excellent saves to deny Dack. Hutton’s long throw into the box eventually bounced into the midfielder’s path, who saw his initial thumping strike blocked. He reacted quickest to get on the end of a loose ball before prodding it towards the goal. Day did brilliantly to get down and get a hand onto the ball, but Dack was the first to get onto the rebound, striking goalward again. However, that was also saved before the ball was cleared into touch.
Vokes thought he had made it two, but it was ruled out for offside. Dack received the ball on the left-hand side before curling the ball into the box. The former Wales international met the ball, glancing his header into the back of the net, but the linesman’s flag was raised for an offside.
Hale capitalised on indecisiveness at the back by the hosts, as he latched onto a long bouncing ball forward to get in behind the Cheltenham defence. He brought it under control before firing goalward, but the oncoming Day did well to make the save.
HALF-TIME: Cheltenham Town 0-1 Gillingham
Smith was denied by Day in the opening minutes of the second period. Dack’s lofted free-kick was flicked on by a Cheltenham defender into Masterson’s path, who did well to bring it under control before playing the ball back towards the six-yard box. Smith sent it towards the goal, but Day did well to react and save with his feet. It appeared as if McKenzie would be first to the rebound, but it was pushed behind for a corner, which came to nothing.
In the 57th minute, Hale nearly capitalised on an underhit back pass. He was pressing the opposing defence, who were passing the ball around the back. It was played back to Day, but the lack of pace on the ball gave the Northern Ireland international a half-chance to latch onto it. However, the sliding Day got there just ahead of Hale to take the ball away from the danger.
Isaac Hutchinson equalised for the hosts in the 63rd minute. Mo Faal had the ball on the right-hand side before playing it into the space in front for the overlapping Luke Young. He played a low centre, which was met by the oncoming Hutchinson, who thumped home from around eight yards out.
In the 68th minute, Gillingham made their first substitution, as Khumbeni replaced Masterson.
Harry Ashfield attempted a volley from the edge of the penalty area after a long throw was headed as far as the midfielder. However, he sent his low driving attempt wide of the target via a slight deflection.
There was a lengthy delay in the game after Smith was caught by a high boot, which required him to receive treatment. The defender was unable to continue, leading to a triple change; as Josh Andrews, McCleary and Palmer-Houlden replaced Hale, Smith and Vokes.
Khumbeni had a half-chance in stoppage time. Hutton did well to spot McCleary in space on the right, who played it inside to Khumbeni. The midfielder did well to turn his marker before getting a shot away. However, he was off-balance, and he sent it wide of the goal.
Gills soon made their final change in the third minute of added time, as Jonny Williams replaced Bradley Dack.
Moments later, Faal blasted Cheltenham in front. The visitors could not clear a cross into the box, which dropped perfectly for the striker to smash a first-time volley goalward. It had plenty of power, leaving Morris with no chance of keeping it out as it nestled into the right corner of the net.
FULL-TIME: Cheltenham Town 2-1 Gillingham
Cheltenham Town: Day, Jude-Boyd (Nurse 59’), Cundy, Wilson, Tomkinson, Young, Ashfield (Martin 90+6’), Hutchinson, Thomas (Miller 90+4’), Davison (Faal 59’), Bickerstaff (Broom 59’)
Unused Substitutes: Diallo, Deeming
Gillingham: Morris, Hutton, Masterson (Khumbeni 68’), A. Smith (McCleary 77’), Gale, Clark, Little, McKenzie, Dack (J. Williams 90+4’), Vokes (Palmer-Houlden 78’), Hale (Andrews 77’)
Unused Substitutes: Turner, Cirino
Referee: Harrison Blair
Attendance: 3161 (235 Gills supporters)
