Keeper Aaron Chapman was the Gillingham hero as they edged a monumental penalty shoot-out to get past Crawley Town and earn a place in the second round of the Carabao Cup.

After the pulsating tie ended 2-2 – the Gills twice in front and having boss Steve Evans sent to the stands – all ten Gillingham outfield players netted before Chapman made a terrific save to deny Ludwig Francillette – the twentieth spot kick of the shoot out – and send the Kent club through to round two 10-9 on penalties.

It was a big night for a lot of the Gills youngsters with Gerald Sithole netting his first goal for the first team and Harvey Lintott scoring what proved to be the all-important spot kick in the shootout.

The Gills boss made six changes from the weekend’s draw with Lincoln City and they took just three minutes to open the scoring as Sithole stabbed home Ollie Lee’s cross with home keeper Blondy Nna Noukeu claiming a foul by the Gillingham youngster who was leading a very youthful front line of himself and Mustapha Carayol.

And the pair so very nearly combined for a Gillingham second in the opening ten minutes with Sithole inches away from turning home a Carayol cross before Chapman showed just why Evans was so keen to bring the keeper to Kent as he made an outstanding save to deny Tony Craig’s header. 

Chapman though could do nothing eleven minutes into the second half to deny Sam Ashford after a swift passing move but was more than equal to efforts from Ashford (a brilliant low save to the left) and Will Ferry (another fine save low to the keeper’s left) as the home side pressed the Gills back.

It wasn’t all one-way traffic however as the Gills finished strongly after the manager had been sent to the stands following a shocking challenge on Sithole by Francillette which brought the Crawley man a yellow card from referee Howard who clearly took offense to the protests of the Gills boss and sent him to the stands.

As the Gills piled forward, Oliver, Lee and Sithole all went close in the closing stages before five minutes into stoppage time Danny Phillips drove the ball beyond the Crawley keeper to seemingly send Gillingham through.

Yet the home side had other ideas and on ninety-seven minutes, Archie Davies sent the home fans in the crowd of just under two thousand into raptures as he fired home an unlikely equaliser to send the tie to penalties.

Lee, Oliver, Danny Lloyd, Phillips and Stuart O’Keefe all netted to match the home side’s efforts as the shoot out went into sudden death.

David Tutonda, Chris Maghoma, Sithole and Max Ehmer all held their nerve and with the score locked at nine all, Chapman made an incredible save to deny Francillette leaving the pressure on the shoulders of young Lintott who kept his nerve superbly as he drilled The Gills into Round Two.

CRAWLEY TOWN – Nna Noukeu, Francomb, Dallison, Francillette, Craig, Hessenthaler, Frost (Tilley 69), Payne (Powell 88), Ferry, Nadesan, Ashford (Davies 80).

Subs not used – Morris, Gallacher, Al Hussaini, Khaleel.

Goals: Ashford (55), Davies (97).

Booked: Francillette (74).

GILLINGHAM – Chapman, Lintott, Akehurst (Tutonda 80), Maghoma, Ehmer, Bennett (Lloyd 61), Phillips, Lee, O’Keefe, Carayol (Oliver 69), Sithole.

Subs not used – Cumming, Tucker.

Goals: Sithole (3), Phillips (95).

Booked: Ehmer (36).

Referee – Mr Paul Howard

Attendance: 1904

Picture supplied by Gillingham Football Club.