Gillingham suffered their first loss of their pre-season campaign on Saturday, falling to a 2-1 defeat to Championship side Millwall.
Goals from Jiri Skalak and Jake Cooper were enough to see off Steve Evans’ men, who equalised early in the second half through trialist Mikael Mandron after Skalak had fired Millwall ahead. A bullet header from Cooper, though, sealed the win for Millwall in ME7.
Gillingham manager Steve Evans opted to start most of the side that finished Saturday’s win against Charlton, with the likes of Mark Byrne, Elliott List and Callum Reilly all featuring from the first whistle.
After some early possession, it was Reilly who had the first chance of the game for The Gills. The midfielder showed quick feet and good communication to play a neat one-two with trialist Mikael Mandron down the left, before the Irishman fired powerfully towards goal, but straight down the throat of Millwall goalkeeper Frank Fielding.
Gillingham continued to press in the opening five minutes, and more good work from Reilly almost gave them the lead when youth team star Ben Allen missed the midfielder’s cross by a matter of inches.
Millwall slowly grew into the game, however their first shot on goal was a speculative one when Shaun Williams had a pop from his own half after spotting Gills goalkeeper Joe Walsh off his line – the ball sailing well wide.
The game started to prove to be a bit of a physical battle early on. Both managers opted to field target men from the off, with Matt Smith winning plenty in the air up top for Millwall and Mikael Mandron giving it as good as he got for Gillingham at the other end.
It was wide man Jiri Skalak, though, who broke the deadlock.
Millwall once more utilized the long ball, however this time it was played into the channel out from defence. There seemed to be a moment of hesitation between Connor Ogilvie and Walsh, and Skalak only needed a sniff to fire high past Walsh first time after the young ‘keeper began to advance from his goal.
Although content to go long when needed, Gillingham were happy to play on the ground when the opportunity presented itself, and Mandron was involved again soon after the Millwall goal on the right-hand side, this time with his feet. He showed good link up play with Elliott List and right back Lee Hodson, fit again after being rested as a precaution on Saturday, to help The Gills win a corner, which Jack Tucker almost equalised from in what was probably the home side’s best chance of the game so far. Alert goalkeeping from Frank Fiedling in the away goal meant the young defender was denied.
Joe Walsh was called into action in the opposite goal at the half way point of the first half, having to parry a curling ball from Connor Maloney who had cut inside onto his stronger left foot, but Gills frustration began to creep in when Elliott List relieved some pressure when breaking but failed to find a pass, handing the ball straight back to Millwall in the process.
Walsh was alert again to save from a Matt Smith header a few minutes later, but he was to really show off his skills when he made a brilliant triple save moments later, firstly from Smith again before blocking both follow up attempts, gaining plaudits from both the crowd and home dugout alike in the process.
As half time drew closer Gillingham got a foothold back in the game, and may have felt they should have gone into the break at least level after Connor Ogilvie missed a free header from six yards out after doing the hard work to lose his marker, and Callum Reilly hit the post following good play to find space and get a shot away through a number of bodies in the box.
Gillingham made one change at half time with veteran Barry Fuller making way for Bradley Garmston at left back after playing most of Saturday’s game too, but the home side would have been happy to see the back of Millwall front man Matt Smith, who had caused them problems in the past as well as in the opening 45 at Priestifeld, when he didn’t come back out for the second half.
The second half sprung into life on 54 minutes when youngster Ben Allen made an inviting run to attack a Mark Byrne cross, however referee Gavin Ward adjudged he had been pushed by ex Gillingham full back Mahlon Romeo and pointed to the spot.
Mikael Mandron did his chances of being offered a deal at Priestifeld no harm by stepping up confidently to slot home the penalty and the equaliser – perhaps a reward for his hard work and high pressing in the duration of his trial in Kent so far.
The Gills weren’t level for long, however, as Millwall’s direct approach paid off once again in the 57th minute when Jake Cooper headed home directly from a corner, won by Aiden O’Brien who forced another top save from Walsh in the process.
Gillingham’s best chance of the second half came through Mark Byrne, who forced an excellent save from Fielding after being played into space down the right following good work from wide man Elliott List. Byrne, playing in an attacking midfield role as opposed to his usual defensive position, earnt a corner which resulted in Connor Ogilvie firing a right footed volley straight at Fielding.
The usual home changes came on the 66th minute mark, with eight subs being made by manager Steve Evans including the introduction of new signings Mikael Ndjoli, Ouss Cissé and Stuart O’Keefe.
The game fell a bit flat after the substitutions, however the Gills coaching staff will be pleased with how their eleven limited Millwall to minor opportunities only for the rest of the game.
Gills’ best chances came through Ndjoli and O’Keefe who both fired wide from distance, but it was ultimately Millwall who ran out the winners after 90 minutes.
The game proved to be a different kind of test for Gillingham to what they have faced so far this summer, but it was one they will have learnt a lot from, and the game proved to be a useful run out for the Kent side despite the defeat.
Gillingham: Walsh, Hodson, Ogilvie (Jones 66), Fuller (Garmston 45), List (Thomas 66), Trialist (Hanlan 66), Byrne (Charles-Cook 66), Oldaker (O’Keefe 66), Reilly (Cissé 66), Tucker (Ehmer 66), Allen (Ndjoli 66).
Subs not used: Bonham, Woods, Campbell.
Goals: Trialist 54
Millwall: Fielding, Cooper, Williams, Ferguson (McNamara 66), Romeo, Pearce, Leonard, Mahoney (Burey 84), O’Brien (Mitchell 76), Skalak, Smith (Bodvarsson 45).
Subs not used: Stanford, Ransom.
Goals: Skalak 17, Cooper 57
Attendance: N/A
Referee: Mr G Ward
Assistants: Mr I Cooper and Mr C Fitch
Fourth official: Mr P Cruise