Gillingham were spared FA Cup embarrassment from non-league opposition after scraping a 2-1 first-round win over a spirited Leyton Orient.

Josh Parker’s simple header gave the hosts the lead in a first half they dominated before Tom Eaves’ finish had the game seemingly dead and buried.

James Dayton pulled one back for Orient but they could not find a goal to force a replay.

The home side opened the scoring when Elliott List’s in-swinging cross found an unmarked Parker, who nodded the ball in after 19 minutes.

Orient livened up after the break, forcing Tomas Holy into making two great saves, first from David Mooney’s volley and then from Jamie Sendles-White’s powerful header.

The visitors found themselves two down when Connor Ogilvie’s long ball found Eaves, who dispatched his chance after out-muscling Sendles-White.

Orient hit back when Dayton’s low free-kick from the left went through a crowd and into the corner of the net.

Joe Widdowson was sent off late on for pulling back Conor Wilkinson as Orient failed to find an equaliser.

The win sees The Gills into the hat for Monday night’s Second Round draw and surely adds more weight to Steve Lovell being given the manager’s job on a permanent basis.

They then face Reading Under 21s in their latest Checkatrade Trophy clash at Priestfield on Tuesday night.

 

Gillingham line up: Holy, Clare, Ogilvie (O’Neill 80), Ehmer, Zakuani, Byrne, Hessenthaler, Martin, Parker, Eaves (Wilkinson 76), List (Wagstaff 57).

Subs not used: Arnold, Mbo, Chapman, Cundle.

Goals: Parker (20), Eaves (75).

Booked: Clare (76), Wilkinson (81).

Leyton Orient line up: Grainger, Caprice, Widdowson, Bonne, Mooney, Boco (Harrold 69), Judd, Clark (Lawless H/T), Dayton, Westbrooke (Sotiriou 87).

Subs not used: Sargeant, Pollock, Dalby, Clay.

Goal: Dayton (79).

Booked: Grainger (35), Lawless (76), Dayton (81), Judd (81), Harrold (82), Widdowson (87).

Sent Off: Widdowson (92).

Referee: Mr John Brooks

Attendance: 3,659 (818 away).