Scott Kashket was the Gillingham hero swooping deep into stoppage time to keep the side in the Emirates FA Cup, giving hope for their season and quite possibly keeping his manager in his job…
It arguably was the end of a week that no-one in Neil Harris’ position would even dream of putting of your Christmas list.
But after openly criticising his side’s defeat at Newport, the manager will have been pleased with the improvement seen at Crawley in midweek before almost being amazed at the resilience his side showed to stay in the Greatest Cup Competition in the World and avoid another entry into the “Giant killing victims” chapter that Gillingham have found themselves on more than one occasion.
Just quite how the goal-shy Gills are still in the competition is in all honesty a mystery as when Josh Walker put the home side in front just ten minutes from time, the writing for the League side and quite possibly their manager was firmly on the wall… But substitute Kashket had other ideas as he swooped on Jordan Green’s driven centre to keep the Gills in Monday night’s Third Round draw with the much-needed financial carrot that that brings…
Gillingham returned to days of old even before kick off as the visitors wore blue shirts and white shorts for the contest because of the home side’s blue shorts and it was almost as though the ghosts of Christmas past were shining on their 2022 counterparts.
Jake Turner was undoubtedly the busier of the two keepers and made good first half saves from Junior Morias and Walker – the Gills stopper palming Morias’ drive round the post before standing up well to Walker.
Indeed, the closest we came to a first half goal was on the stroke of half time when Matt Robinson’s effort found the side netting.
The second period was a battle. Finally, the Gills had their first effort of note when Robbie McKenzie drew a terrific save out of Elliott Justham and from the resulting corner Lewis Walker just couldn’t get enough on the ball to force it over the line and the home side were happy to launch the ball away.
Gillingham’s season looked to have hit rock bottom on eighty minutes when Josh Walker looked to have added the Gills name again to the list of League sides beaten by Non-League teams as he burst into the box and gave Turner no chance with a low shot.
Gills needed something and something quickly and a hero to boot. Enter the substitute pair of Green and Kashket as the former whipped a ball into the box for the latter to react quickest to steer the ball past Justham and keep Gillingham in that velvet bag as the tie was sent back to Priestfield for a conclusion rather than being consigned to the history books…
DAGENHAM & REDBRIDGE – Justham, Hare, Onariase, Sagaf, Phipps, Weston, Rance, Robinson, Mussa (Saunders 78), Morias, Walker.
Subs not used – Dixson, Johnson, Zouma, Janneh, Scott, Franz, Bird.
Goal: Walker (80).
GILLINGHAM – Turner, Alexander (Adelakun 85), Wright, Ehmer, McKenzie, Williams, O’Keefe (Green 60), Jefferies, Reeves (MacDonald 78), Gbode (Walker 59), Mandron (Kashket 60).
Subs not used – Holtam, Baggott, Mnoga, Law.
Goal: Kashket (92).
Booked: Wright (61).
REFEREE – Mr Darren Drysdale
Attendance: 1,702