Newport County progressed to the second round of the FA Cup after beating Gillingham 4-3 in a penalty shootout at Rodney Parade.
The game ended all square after normal time when Elliott Nevitt’s early goal was cancelled out by Cameron Evans’ strike.
Cameron Antwi put Newport in front in the 109th minute during extra time before Seb Palmer-Houlden drilled Gillingham onto level terms in the final seconds.
Palmer-Houlden scored the fifth penalty for the Gills to make it 3-3 heading into the final spot kick, which Ben Lloyd dispatched, slotting into the bottom corner.
Gills made four changes to the team that lost against Salford City. Jake Turner started in goal in the place of Glenn Morris, who missed out due to injury. Sam Gale returned from suspension, while Armani Little and Elliott Nevitt also came into the starting XI.
Shad Ogie, Sam Vokes and Seb Palmer-Houlden were named among the substitutes. Taite Holtam was recalled from his loan at Ashford United to deputise for Turner, and Nelson Khumbeni returned to the matchday squad.
Gills had the first half-chance of the game after 12 minutes. Bradley Dack floated a corner from the left deep into the Newport penalty area, finding Josh Andrews. He played it down towards Little on the edge of the penalty area, who struck a half-volley first time. However, he could not keep it down, as it flew over the crossbar.
Nevitt opened the scoring minutes later. Remeao Hutton’s cross from the right found Robbie McKenzie, who headed it down to Nevitt. The forward was allowed to get a shot away, with his low-driven attempt taking a deflection on its way to the goal, wrongfooting Jordan Wright and hitting the back of the net.
Josh Andrews came close to doubling the Gillingham lead in the 20th minute. The ball was switched out to Hutton, who found himself in acres of space on the right-hand side. The right-back curled a cross towards the back post with Andrews rising the highest. He headed the ball down towards the bottom corner at the near post, but Wright did well to get down and push the ball clear of the danger.
The hosts had an appeal for a penalty on the half-hour mark. Cameron Antwi’s snapshot on the edge of the penalty area took a deflection off a Gillingham player before going out for a corner. Home players and fans were calling for a handball, but after conferring with his assistant, the referee stood by his initial decision to award a corner.
Moments later, Turner reacted brilliantly to deny Lee Jenkins. A corner from the right was aimed towards the front post, which Jenkins headed goalward. It took a slight deflection on its way to the goal, with Turner reacting quickly to block the attempt as it went out for another corner.
Cameron Evans equalised from the resulting set piece. The visitors could not clear the corner, causing a scramble around the six-yard box. The ball came to Evans, who thumped a shot into the roof of the net from close range.
Hutton tried his luck after 40 minutes. He did well to cut inside onto his left foot before getting a shot away. However, his low drive lacked the power to test Wright, who gathered comfortably.
HALF-TIME: Newport County 1-1 Gillingham
Gills made a half-time substitution with Khumbeni replacing Little.
The opening ten minutes of the second half proved to be a battle in the midfield as both teams looked to take control of the game. The defences remained untroubled as both sides failed to create an opportunity.
Gillingham made their second change after 57 minutes as Palmer-Houlden replaced Andrews.
After a stoppage in the game due to a clash of heads between two Newport players, the game burst into life. Antwi managed to get in behind the Gillingham defence, finding Turner off his line. He attempted to loft the ball over the goalkeeper, but could not get the height on it, and Turner caught the shot.
Gills went down the other end, and Max Clark had an attempt blocked. A ball into Palmer-Houlden allowed Gills to get bodies forward before Hutton crossed. Khumbeni flicked it on into Clark’s path, and the left-back thumped a first-time shot goalward, which was well blocked.
Courtney Baker-Richardson nearly broke the stalemate when a cross from the right looked destined to land on his head. However, Gale did just enough to put the striker off before the visitors cleared their lines.
In the 76th minute, Khumbeni nearly restored the Gillingham lead. Palmer-Houlden did well to beat the offside trap to get in behind the Newport defence. The forward carried the ball towards the penalty area before playing a low ball into the six-yard box. The sliding Khumbeni made contact, but not enough, and it flashed wide of the target.
Habeeb Ogunneye forced Turner into a save after he did well to get down the right and into the penalty area before shooting from a tight angle. His attempt had plenty of power, and Turner had to push it over the crossbar for a corner, which came to nothing.
Ged Garner rattled the crossbar with ten minutes remaining. Ogunneye made a bursting run down the right before breaking into the penalty area and cutting the ball back for Garner. The forward found himself in space before getting a powerful strike away. His attempt smacked the frame of the goal before going out of play for a goal kick.
In the 82nd minute, Gills made two more changes with Vokes and Lenni Cirino coming on for Nevitt and Dack.
Wright did well to deny Gale in the third minute of added time. Hutton’s long throw was flicked on and found Palmer-Houlden, who tried an overhead kick. It looped into the air before it was eventually headed into the path of Gale, who nodded an attempt goalward from close range. The Newport goalkeeper did well to react quickly and palmed it around the post for a corner, which came to nothing.
Ben Lloyd tried his luck in the final seconds of the 11 minutes of added time, but his long-range strike was straight at Turner, who caught the shot.
FULL-TIME: Newport County 1-1 Gillingham
Sammy Braybrooke stung the palms of Turner in the 101st minute. The midfielder had possession with time and space 25 yards from the goal. He opted to shoot, with his attempt pushed clear of the danger by the Gillingham goalkeeper.
Travis Akomeah replaced McKenzie moments later.
In the 109th minute, Antwi fired the hosts in front. Michael Reindorf entered the box before cutting it back for Antwi, who stroked his shot into the far bottom corner.
Gills made their final substitution moments later, as Aaron Rowe replaced Ethan Coleman.
The hosts hit the woodwork as they broke forward on the counter. Reindorf’s cross deflected off a Gillingham player and hit the outside of the near post before going out of play for a corner, which came to nothing.
Clark came close when the ball was laid back to him on the edge of the penalty area. However, his curling attempt went wide of the target.
Palmer-Houlden drilled Gillingham back level in the 119th minute. Khumbeni did brilliantly to regain possession on the edge of the penalty area, allowing Palmer-Houlden to pick up the loose ball on the right side of the box. The forward took a touch out of his feet before drilling a shot into the far bottom corner, with it just out of Wright’s reach.
FULL-TIME AET: Newport County 2-2 Gillingham
Newport won the penalty shootout 4-3. Gills missed two spot kicks, and a key moment in the shootout came when Turner initially denied Antwi. However, he was judged to have been off his line, and it was ordered to be retaken, with Antwi scoring the retake.
Palmer-Houlden converted Gillingham’s final penalty to make it 3-3 heading into the deciding spot kick, which Ben Lloyd dispatched to send Newport through to Round Two.
Newport County win 4-3 on penalties
Newport County: Wright, Ogunneye (Brennan 89’), Jenkins (Odimayo 67’), Evans, Thomas, Braybrooke, Whitmore (Kamwa 103’), Antwi, Lloyd, Garner (Reindorf 94’), Baker-Richardson
Unused Substitutes: Tzanev, Glennon, Alexander-Walker, Pugh, McKenzie
Gillingham: Turner, Hutton, McKenzie (Akomeah 103’) A. Smith, Gale, Clark, Coleman (Rowe 111’), Little (Khumbeni 46’), Dack (Cirino 82’), Andrews (Palmer-Houlden 57’), Nevitt (Vokes 82’)
Unused Substitutes: Holtam, Ogie, Wyllie
Referee: Ross Martin
Attendance: 2596 (243 Gillingham supporters)
