Gillingham are into the last sixteen of the Carabao Cup after their third penalty shoot-out win of the season as Premier League Brentford were dumped out of the competition on an amazing night in West London.

Making their first appearance at the Brentford Community Stadium – albeit after a twenty-minute delay as the team bus didn’t arrive until 7.20pm – it took Ivan Toney less than five minutes to open the scoring on his return from suspension and how Neil Harris would have liked the England touted striker to have had another game on the side-lines.

But it was the Gills, own centre forward Mika Mandron who almost upstaged the man possibly heading to the World Cup.

Behind as early as the third minute as World Cup hopeful Ivan Toney side footed the Bees in front, in the Gills’ first effort on target after seventy-five minutes, Mandron gleefully levelled the scores with a header from Alex MacDonald’s cross to peg the Premier League back after they had – and missed – a hatful of chances…

After eleven immaculate penalties, Dane Mikkel Damsgaard – who is expected to be part of his countries squad in the upcoming World Cup crashed the shoot out’s twelfth penalty cannoning off the frame of Jake Turner’s goal… and what a ninety minutes the Gills keeper had.

For Harris and his players this was always going to be a tough assignment especially after the efforts to stay in the FA Cup at the weekend, but it was a night for his players to shine – sadly on this Premier League stage, there weren’t enough takers early on and boy oh boy did they shine with their backs to the wall for eight-one percent of the contest!

There was just three minutes on the watch when Toney arrived at the back post to side foot home Damsgaard’s cross.

The pair combined again before the quarter hour, but this time Toney’s header from a corner was too high. Christian Norgaard had a shot saved by Turner and the Gills keeper was by far the busier as the Premier League side showed why there was so many places between the two.

Turner’s finest moment of the half came in the final seconds as Toney thought he had his second, but Turner made a really good save at the foot of his post.

The pattern continued into the second period – Turner saving well from Mars Roerslev; Toney shot wide when well placed.

But Harris will have been delighted his side’s incredible level of resilience as the thin blue line, just about held its own as the Premier League side seemed to be coasting into the last sixteen.

Enter super sub Mandron (on for Lewis Walker) and his introduction helped Gills finally got going, and it was Mandron who sent the travelling army which numbered two thousand into delirium as with just fifteen minutes left, the giant striker headed fellow sub Alex MacDonald’s cross into the bottom corner in the first effort on goal the visitors had.

Turner quickly pulled off another fine save – this time from Damsgaard’s header as the Premier League side suddenly realised that a shoot out was now looming.

The home side forced three consecutive late corners and it was from the second that Turner pulled off the save of the night to deny Martin Jorgensen – the Gills keeper somehow keeping the centre half’s thunderous header out with his left foot!

Toney and Ethan Pinnock also went close late on as the Gills were forced to defend for their lives as the siege on Turner’s goal went into four minutes of stoppage time.

The first ten penalties of the shoot-out were scored – the Gills netting magnificently through Mandron, Hak Adelakun, Will Wright, Chey Alexander and Scott Kashket – and when MacDonald crashed his spot kick into the net via the underside of the bar, all the sudden death pressure heaped on the shoulders of the Dane, and whilst his kick also struck the frame of the goal, the ball crashed out and incredibly Gillingham were through to Round Four for the first time in twenty six years and for just the third time in the Competition’s history.

Seventy six places separated the two sides at kick off, and whilst the Gills only had one attempt on goal in the ninety four minutes and only nineteen percent possession, Harris will take so much from this evening in West London and will hope that his side can use this remarkable night in West London as a springboard up the League Two table starting when the Cobblers of Northampton Town come to Priestfield at the weekend – just why can’t League games be decided by shoot outs???

BRENTFORD – Raya, Roerslev (Mbeumo 81), Jorgensen, Pinnock, Ghoddos, Norgaard (Dasilva H/T), Onyeka (Yarmolyuk 72), Henry (Jensen 61), Lewis-Potter, Toney, Damsgaard.

Subs not used – Mee, Crama, Trevitt, Cox, Gilbert.

Goal: Toney (3).

GILLINGHAM – Turner, McKenzie, Wright, Baggott, Law, Adelakun, Jeffries (Kashket 93), Williams (Alexander 65), O’Keefe, Green (MacDonald 74), Walker (Mandron 64).

Subs not used – Morris, Akehurst, Gbode.

Goal: Mandron (75).

Booked: Jefferies (5).

REFEREE – Mr Tim Robinson

Attendance: 16,278

Picture supplied by Gillingham Football Club.