A Karlan Ahearne-Grant goal was enough for Charlton Athletic to beat Gillingham in the Kent Reliance Senior Cup Final.

Over the of play however, the young Gills will be disappointed that they at least didn’t take the Final to penalties after creating numerous chances but ultimately not being able to find a way through a Charlton defence superbly marshalled by Harry Lennon and Terrel Thomas.

And when they did they found keeper Dillon Phillips in fine form.

It was Charlton who opened the scoring nine minutes from half time with what proved to be the game’s only goal as Karlan Adhearne-Grant intercepted an under hit back pass from Callum Emptage to coolly lob the ball over the now statuesque and stranded Gills keeper Stuart Nelson and into the net.

Gills boss Mark Patterson failed to point any finger of blame at his young side and in particular full back Callum Emptage.

Patterson himself predominantly a full back in his playing days said, “Callum’s distraught in the dressing room over his mistake, but what he’s got to learn from it and for that matter, they’ve all got to learn.”

“Tonight’s a huge part in their ongoing learning curve – heck it’s a night for all of us to learn so much. It was proper football wasn’t – we were playing in a Cup Final for goodness sake! There were a few tackles that started flying in that were a bit feisty weren’t there,” Patterson grinned, “but football is still a contact sport isn’t it?”

An enjoyable opening half saw both sides knocking in their opponents doors without success almost from kick off.

Charlton keeper Phillips had to be alert as he raced from his box to head clear, before at the other end the overlapping Harry Osbourne’s cross bouncing twice on top of the Gillingham bar with keeper Stuart Nelson stranded.

Luke Norris and Harry Lennon then clashed as the Gillingham man reacted to being fouled, but Mr Fissenden remained calm and cautioned both players where further punishment wouldn’t have been questioned.

Norris almost opened the scoring on 20 minutes when he outpaced Terrell Thomas only to drag his shot wide, when at the other end, the Gills were indebted to keeper Nelson who brilliantly kept out Karlan Ahearne-Grant’s shot after the Gillingham defence had been mesmorised by the trickery of Kieran Monlouis.

The home side then missed two good chances either side of the half hour – firstly, Phillips somehow kept out Josh Pritchard’s 35 yard effort, managing to deflect his strike onto the bar, before with the Charlton defence all over the place Greg Cundle was denied by Phillips only for Norris’ low drive to beat the keeper and the far post.

Charlton duly opened the scoring on 36 minutes when Ahearne-Grant took advantage of the horrendous Gills defending to loop the ball over a stranded Nelson and into the net.

The half ended on a sour note as Levander Pyke was extremely lucky that Mr Fissenden deemed his foul not worthy of a red card as many of the Gillingham fans in the crowd did.

The first flurry of action of the second period occurred just past the hour mark when Norris glanced an Amari’i Bell cross wide of the left post before Ahearne-Grant stung Nelson’s fingers with a low drive after Monlouis and Sam Bone had combined to take advantage in Gillingham hesitation, before arguably the best chance of them all saw Leon Legge head a Jake Hessenthaler free kick straight at Phillips.

The Gills were upping the tempo now as they had to and from a magnificent long ball from Josh Pritchard, Legge beat keeper Phillips to the ball at the back post and was desperately unlucky to see his header drop just the wrong side of the post as Harry Osbourne slid into clear.

On 78 minutes, Ahearne-Grant sprinted away down the left leaving the Gillingham defence in his wake – if only his final ball had been on a par with the run as he played it behind his strike partner Josh Umerah, who in the circumstances did well to get a shot in, which equally Gavin Hoyte did very well to clear off of the line.

 

Not even four additional minutes at the end of the game could save Mark Patterson’s Gillingham side, not even sub Elliot List who forced Phillips into a super low save in stoppage time.

 

Gillingham line up: Stuart Nelson, Callum Emptage, Amari’i Bell, Josh Pritchard, Gavin Hoyte, Leon Legge, Daniel Galbraith, Michael Freiter, Luke Morris, Greg Cundle (Elliot List 64), Jake Hessenthaler.

Subs not used: Tom Hadler, Aidan Blanchard, Dan Bent, Jack Sellens.

Booked: Norris (15), Hessenthaler (87).

Charlton Athletic line up: Dillon Phillips, Harry Osborne (Aaron Barnes 80), Lavander Pyke, Sam Bone, Harry Lennon, Terell Thomas, Kieran Monlouis (Brandon Hanlan 80), Regan Charles-Cook, Karlan Ahearne-Grant, Josh Umerah, Mikhail Kennedy.

Subs not used: Dimitar Mitov, Kurtis Cumberbatch, Jack Munns.

Goal: Karlan Ahearne-Grant (37).

Booked: Lennon (15), Pyke (45+1), Charles-Cook (67), Monlouis (75), Phillips (90+2).

Referee: Mr Ian Fissenden

Assistants: Mr Ollie Jackson & Mr Adam Bakalarz

Fourth Official: Mr Graeme Ions

Attendance: 1,238 (320 Charlton)

Pictures supplied by www.julianhartphotography.co.uk