Gillingham fell to defeat on the opening day as Walsall scored three times in the final ten minutes at the MEMS Priestfield Stadium to secure victory.
Gareth Ainsworth made four changes to the side that lost to Luton Town in the Carabao Cup, as Liam Gordon came into the starting XI for his Gills debut and was named as club captain.
Ashley Maynard-Brewer signed on an emergency loan from Sheffield Wednesday and made his Gillingham debut after former loan keeper Owen Mason signed for Bromley in the week. Armani Little started having missed the majority of pre-season through injury, while Will Goodwin made his first start.
Goodwin nearly gave the Gills an early lead too. A corner from the left was eventually cleared, but the hosts were first to the loose ball, with Little playing it back into the penalty area. Goodwin and Hale timed their runs perfectly, as they got in behind the Walsall defence, with the former getting on the end of the ball. Unfortunately, he could not make the correct contact, and his sliding attempt lacked the power to test Jed Ward.
In the ninth minute, Goodwin had a half-chance. Kadeem Harris was attacking down the left and managed to find half a yard of space before floating a cross deep into the area. It found the head of the striker, who looped his effort goalward, but it was easily caught by Ward.
Gillingham were forced into their first change after 31 minutes when Little went down with an apparent knock, which he was unable to continue with. He was replaced by Robbie McKenzie.
Moments later, Charles Crew had an opportunity when the ball bounced towards him outside of the penalty area. His first time attempt was smacked into the ground, with it bouncing wide of Maynard-Brewer’s post.
The hosts were forced into another change when Gordon went down after winning an aerial duel. He was unable to continue and was replaced by Logan Dobbs.
James Connolly tried his luck from the edge of the box, but could not keep his curling strike down, and as a result it cleared the crossbar.
In the fourth minute of additional time, Ronan Hale nearly scored a fantastic goal. James Brophy did well to win possession before prodding it in the direction of Hale, who took a touch out of his feet before trying his luck from distance. His attempt had plenty of power as he directed it towards the bottom left corner, but Ward got across to palm clear.
Moments later, Goodwin hit the crossbar. Zane Albarus lofted the ball towards the forward, who was on the right corner of the penalty area. He tried side-footing a volley into the box, but the ball was actually directed towards the goal. It caught Ward out at his near post as he was left scrambling, and the ball hit the crossbar before going out.
The hosts hit the woodwork again when Hale turned provider for Brophy. The Northern Ireland international slipped a pass into Brophy, who got the ball out of his feet before smashing a shot towards goal from 20 yards out. His attempt had the beating of the Walsall goalkeeper, but crashed off the crossbar before going out of play for a goal-kick.
HALF-TIME: Gillingham 0-0 Walsall
In the 56th minute, Hale did well to create a shooting opportunity for himself. Brophy lofted a free-kick towards the edge of the Walsall penalty area, which Ward came well off his line to deal with. He did not get there as the ball dropped to Goodwin, who tried to send it goalward. However, he could not get enough power behind it as it went to Hale on the left side of the box. The forward did well to beat one defender before getting a left-footed attempt away, which the Walsall goalkeeper got two hands behind to push away.
Goodwin had a fantastic opportunity when a McKenzie long throw was flicked into his path. Unfortunately, he could not direct his first time left-footed attempt on target, as he dragged it wide of the post.
The visitors nearly went down the other end and took the lead. Reece Smith played a low ball across the face of the six-yard box, with it just missing the oncoming Andrew Dallas. Roman Dixon then arrived at the back post to slide the ball back into a dangerous area, and Aaron Pressley directed it goalward. Maynard-Brewer managed to block the initial effort before a scramble occurred, which resulted in a free-kick to the hosts.
Hale did well to get a shot away after getting on the end of a Brophy flick-on. The forward had the ball inside the penalty area, shifting inside onto his right foot to take out one defender before cutting inside once more to open up the angle for a shot. He tried bending his attempt into the far corner, but Ward did well to push it away from the danger.
Harris was the next man to try his luck when a long throw bounced inside the penalty area. It dropped to the left wing-back, who brought it under control before going deeper into the box. However, he could not garner enough power in his shot, as it was straight at Ward.
In the 68th minute, Goodwin volleyed against the crossbar. Hale’s initial curling cross was headed away as far as Goodwin, who was around 15 yards out. The forward struck the ball sweetly, garnering enough power and keeping it low. It had Ward beat, but cannoned off the face of the woodwork before bouncing away from the danger.
Gills made their final two changes after 72 minutes, as Seb Palmer-Houlden and Garath McCleary replaced Goodwin and Harris.
Hale got great contact on a first-time strike as Nick Freeman’s cross eventually made its way to him. However, it had too much swerve, and it went wide of the far post.
The hosts continued to apply pressure, as Brophy’s cross found the head of Palmer-Houlden. Unfortunately, he could not find the target, with his header going wide.
Isaac Moore fired Walsall in front with less than ten minutes remaining. A cross from the left was directed towards the back post, finding Pressley, who headed it back towards the edge of the six-yard box. Moore came running onto it and smashed it into the back of the net beyond a helpless Maynard-Brewer.
Taione Sodje nearly doubled the visitors’ advantage, as they broke forward immediately after the goal. Pressley floated the cross in, which Sodje headed goalward, but he could not keep it down as it cleared the crossbar.
Reece Smith was inches away from scoring when Moore played a dangerous low cross into the six-yard box. He looked destined to score, but it was just out of reach for the Walsall man.
Maynard-Brewer had to be alert to keep out Courtney Clarke’s low drive towards the near post, getting down to push it around the post for a corner, which came to nothing.
Connolly made it two in the final minute of regulation. A shot towards goal took a touch off the defender, which hit the post, and he was quickest to react and put the rebound in from close range.
The visitors added a third in the final seconds as Pressley got on the end of a cross from the left to direct a header past Maynard-Brewer.
FULL-TIME: Gillingham 0-3 Walsall
Gillingham: Maynard-Brewer, Freeman, Smith, Beckles, Gordon (Dobbs 37’), Harris (McCleary 72’) Little (McKenzie 31’), Albarus, Brophy, Hale, Goodwin (Palmer-Houlden 72’)
Unused Substitutes: Holtam, McManus, Antwi
Walsall: Ward, Hancock (Burke 74’), Connolly, Sprangler, Crew (Moore 60’), Dallas (Sodje 67’), Simper (Clarke 60’), Smith, Pressley, Ahui (Dixon 46’), Skura
Unused Substitutes: Kilroy, Adomah
Referee: Emily Heaslip
Attendance: 6125 (511)