A first half header from Connor Ogilvie proved enough for Gillingham to progress in the Carabao Cup but it wasn’t all plain sailing for Steve Evans’ side.

A spirited Southend United side came desperately close to taking the Gills at least to penalties as they took advantage of Ryan Jackson’s dismissal just past the hour mark.

But in the end Ogilvie’s first half header from Kyle Dempsey’s corner was enough to take the Gills into the draw for Round Two on Sunday along with all the Premier League sides not in Europe – and such is the nature of this strange new season, the Third Round draw with the remaining sides will take place at the same time.

For this First Round tie, the Gills boss started with a three man central defence that was missing Jack Tucker as new boys Zech Medley, Chris Maghoma and Robbie McKenzie lined up at the heart of the defence with Ogilvie just one of two survivors of the last side that started a League game for the Gills back in March at Sunderland – Stuart O’Keefe being the other, although John Akinde was a used substitute that day and Tucker, as last season’s young player of the year had to make do with a place on the bench on opening day.

Led out by Kyle Dempsey, the home side struggled in the early stages and keeper Jack Bonham had to be alert to keep the visitors out as the Gills came to terms with their new shape as first Jordan Green and then Terrell Egbri perhaps should have done better for the Shrimpers.

The home side though slowly grew into the game and new signing Vadaine Oliver narrowly missed with a header from Dempsey’s cross before just before the half hour, last year’s player of the year Ogilvie showed just why the club rate him so very highly as he scored the first goal of the new season – planting a header into the bottom corner from another Dempsey delivery – this time from a corner.

The lead was almost doubled moments later, but Maghoma’s header – from another Dempsey delivery – went wide. Akinde then went close twice in the closing stages of the half – a header over the top from Jackson’s cross and a shot that was blocked as Ogilvie tried to turn provider.

Both sides had early chances after the break with Oliver glancing a free header (from Jackson’s cross) narrowly wide arguably the closest before it all went horrible wrong for Jackson on his second Priestfield “debut” as he was shown a second yellow card for trying to halt a Southend break meaning an early exit. Jackson’s departure meant a reshuffle as Tucker was called into the action and Maghoma withdrawn.

As was expected, Southend upped the tempo trying to get back in the game and with just sixteen minutes left Isaac Hutchison hit the frame of the Gills goal from a free kick. The Essex side threw more and more forward piling more and more pressure on Bonham and co, but the Gills back line would not be beaten as the home side dug in!  

As the time elapsed, the Gills keeper pulled off a fine save to deny substitute Lewis Gard who will be disappointed not to have levelled the scores, and deep into stoppage time they went even closer when Charlie Kelman smacked the outside of Bonham’s right post, but the Gills held on and will be in Sunday’s hat for the Second (and Third) Round draws…

GILLLINGHAM – Bonham, Jackson, McKenzie, Maghoma (Tucker 62), Medley, Ogilvie, Dempsey, O’Keefe, MacDonald (Willock 75), Akinde, Olivier (Coyle 68)

Subs – Willock, Walsh, Mellis, Woods

SOUTHEND – Oxley, Bwomono, White, Hobson, Taylor Humphrys 71), Egbri (Kinali 88), Hutchinson, Dieng (Gard 62), Green, Kelman, Goodship

Subs – Seaden, Phillips, Kinali, Mitchell-Nelson

REFEREE – Mr Pollard

Picture supplied by Gillingham Football Club