Just as an entertaining match between VCD Athletic and Gillingham looked like it was going to be decided on penalties, mayhem broke out in the closing minutes resulting in the hosts progressing to the quarter final of the Kent Reliance Senior Cup.
Nobody would have guessed what was going to happen when the game started. Looking to impose themselves, Gillingham stretched the VCD defence early on and the Vickers were indebted to Connor Hogan for a crucial header out.
Having defended a couple of corners without alarm, VCD won one of their own and it was half cleared as far as Joe Bruce but he was unable to find any power and Tom Hadler made an easy save.
Jamie Guy then headed wide from a Mitch Hahn corner before Elliott List rattled the VCD crossbar with a rasping drive. Ricky Donnelly was unable to keep the follow up down.
List continued to look dangerous and tricked his way through but Connor Pearce came out and held on low to his right.
Greg Cundle had a shot saved then List again made a great run only to be thwarted by a great last ditch tackle by Frantz Tchonang.
Cundle curled another effort over before Pearce saved at the near post from List as it looked only a matter of time before Gillingham scored.
Bruce’s header drew a comfortable save out of Pearce from another Hahn corner but Gillingham were soon on the attack again. List combined well with Aaron Simpson but his effort was easily saved.
Pearce made another comfortable save, this time claiming Ricky Donelly’s header from Simpson’s cross.
Leslie Thompson limped off injured for VCD in the 40th minute and was replaced by Kojo Awotwi and the young substitute gave the Gills defence different problems. He drew a good save out of Hadler following a good run almost immediately, just before the break.
Hogan shot over from a Hahn corner as what looked like a training ground move soon after the interval then Awotki broke and waited for support which eventually came from Ignacio Garcia, but his shot was saved.
On 54 minutes, the deadlock was broken in crazy fashion. Hadler came out and got in a muddle with Simpson. It broke to Jamie Guy just inside the Gillingham half and he spun and lofted his shot into the unguarded goal.
Brad Stevenson had a chance to equalise but headed wide when he should have done better.
Darren Oldaker broke through and was too strong for Tchonang but his shot came back off the inside of the post.
Frustration got the better of Emmanuel Osadebe and a yellow card was the least he deserved when he left his foot in high and late on Ricardo Joseph.
However, in the 68th minute, the Gills scored the equaliser their play deserved. Cundle’s whipped in cross was too good and Donnelly rose at the far post to head home.
Hahn had a free kick saved before Cundle thought he had headed Gillingham ahead but Bruce got back to clear off the line.
Awotwi tested Hadler again as VCD finished strongly before the impressive Mekhi McLeod was also kept out by the Gillingham custodian.
As penalties loomed, the game entered its crazy finale.
There was one minute left when McLeod fired into the bottom corner from twenty yards.
One minute into injury time, it was back to anticipating a spot kick shoot out as Ryan Huckle smashed home an equaliser.
McLeod wasn’t done though and another tricky run was ended by him being taken out by Simpson. The foul plus McLeod’s retaliation earned them both bookings before substitute Kris Newby stepped out to take the free kick.
In the previous round, Hadler had been a last minute hero saving a penalty to hold a 3-2 lead over Hythe Town. This time, he got things horribly wrong. He appeared to be standing behind the wall as Newby’s floated free kick beat all touches and nestled into the far side of the net with the keeper looking on helplessly.
Almost as soon as the game had restarted, the final whistle sounded sending VCD through.
VCD Athletic: Freund, Hogan, Joseph, O’Neil, Bruce, Tchonang, McLeod, Garcia (Newby 63), Guy, Hahn (Duncan 90), Thompson (Awotwi 40).
Subs not used: Clark, Freund.
Gillingham: Hadler, O’Mara, Simpson, Osadebe, Oldaker, Huckle, Dickinson, List (Mbo 66), Stevenson, Cundle, Donnelly.
Subs not used: Onwugbonu, Devine, Chapman, Newcombe.
Referee: Michael Marsh
Assistants: Jack Hobbs and George Lowe
Attendance: 87
Man of the match: Mitch Hahn
Pictures supplied by Dave Budden.