Louie Dayal’s stunning first-half strike was not enough as Gillingham opened the Jersey Mike’s Trophy group stage with a 4-1 defeat against Cambridge United at the MEMS Priestfield Stadium on Tuesday.
Gareth Ainsworth made nine changes to the starting XI for the game, with Dayal one of those included.
Taite Holtam started in goal, while Ethan Coleman returned to match action for the first time this season. Sheldon Kendall started, having come off the bench to score a brace at the weekend. Academy graduates Harry Webster and Michael Luxton both started.
Bradley Dack was named among the substitutes, with Cruz Beszant, Sully Booth and Damien Theodore also on the bench.
Holtam was brave to deny Ben Knight the chance to get a shot away early on. Isaac Heath slipped a smart pass through the Gillingham defence into the penalty area, giving Knight the chance to latch onto it. However, Holtam was quick off his line to close it down and push the ball away from the Cambridge man before the hosts cleared their lines.
A last-ditch header prevented Andy Smith from having a great opportunity. Garath McCleary carried the ball inside from the left wing before floating a cross into the penalty area. It was played in the direction of Smith, who had made a run in between two defenders, but a visiting defender managed to react quickly and headed it clear before it could reach the Gills man.
In the 24th minute, Zak Bradshaw gave Cambridge the lead. A low ball into the box was cleared to the edge of the Gills penalty area before it was headed on to Glenn McConnell, who combined with Louis Appere before finding Bradshaw, who was inside the box. The Cambridge man took it on before sending a low drive with his left foot beyond Holtam.
Dayal brought the Gills back on level terms with a beautiful strike seven minutes later. Cameron Antwi did well to get to the ball on the byline before cutting it back in the direction of Dayal near the penalty spot. He just missed the ball, but Luxton was on the edge of the box to meet it. Dayal recovered to join Luxton, who laid it off to the left wing-back for the evening, and he curled a beautiful first-time strike towards the top right corner, leaving a fully stretched Gabe Breeze with no chance.
The visitors nearly restored their lead immediately. A back pass caused Gillingham problems as it nearly crept into the bottom left corner, but Holtam did well to recover and cleared off the line. Cambridge were the first to pick up the loose ball, with it played back to Pelly Mpanzu, who saw his strike headed off the line by Jack Daley for a corner.
From the resulting corner, Mpanzu headed the visitors back in front. The ball into the penalty area was guided into the six-yard box, and Mpanzu was on hand to head beyond Holtam.
Knight and Mpanzu linked up to create a chance after 38 minutes. Knight carried it inside before finding Mpanzu on the left corner of the penalty area. Mpanzu waited for Knight to make his way into the box before giving the ball back to him. Knight took it towards goal before shooting from a tight angle, with his strike nestling into the side netting.
Antwi had a sight at goal after McCleary did well to carry the ball inside and away from an opposing player before offloading it to the midfielder. Antwi let the ball go across his body before curling a first-time effort towards the far bottom right corner. Unfortunately, he could not find the target, and it went wide.
HALF-TIME: Gillingham 1-2 Cambridge United
Gillingham made two half-time changes, with Will Goodwin and Dack replacing McCleary and Coleman.
Kendall cleared the crossbar in the 50th minute. Dayal did well to take the ball down the left wing before cutting it back towards the penalty spot. The Millwall loanee did well to time his run and met the ball unchallenged, but he could not keep it down, and his first-time attempt went over the bar.
McConnell had a good chance after Mpanzu won possession 30 yards from the Gillingham goal. He played it inside for McConnell, who took a touch out of his feet before thundering the ball goalward from 20 yards out. Fortunately, his strike cleared the crossbar.
In the 57th minute, Appere scored a third for Cambridge. Knight drove the ball forward before playing it into the feet of Appere. Holtam came well off his line to try and close the angle, but the visiting forward remained composed to slot it past the goalkeeper and into the back of the net.
Holtam was called into action soon after. The visitors broke forward through Knight, who carried the ball towards the box before finding McConnell inside. He curled the ball towards the goal, but it was at the perfect height for Holtam to catch.
With 15 minutes remaining, the hosts made two more changes, as Booth and Beszant replaced Logan Dobbs and Antwi.
The visitors were awarded a penalty when Smith tripped Heath inside the box. Heath, who was brought down, took the spot kick and made no mistake, finding the bottom left corner.
In the 88th minute, Theodore replaced Kendall, as Gillingham made their final change.
FULL-TIME: Gillingham 1-4 Cambridge United
Gillingham: Holtam, Smith, Dobbs (Booth 75’), Daley, Webster, Coleman (Dack 46’), Luxton, Kendall (Theodore 88’), Antwi (Beszant 75’), McCleary (Goodwin 46’), Dayal
Unused Substitutes: Wright, Waldock
Cambridge United: Breeze, Watts, Heath (McDougald 88’), Moxon, Appere (Efobi 88’), Knight (Murefu 62’), Heffernan, Mpanzu (Ball 62’), Bradshaw, McConnell, Herd
Unused Substitutes: Hughes, Lavery
Attendance: 911 (109)
Referee: George Laflin
