Gills come from behind to win at Beechings.
Ben White’s Gillingham U18’s side kept their unbeaten record after a 3-2 victory over Cambridge United at Beechings Cross on Saturday morning.
The goals started just a few minutes in and in unfortunate circumstances Gills fell behind when Emmanuel Fernandez’s over hit pass lobbed over goalkeeper Charlie Walker, finding its way into the back of the net.
There was no real threat from the visitors in the first 45 minutes, making the reality of falling behind more frustrating.
However it didn’t phase the hosts and as the half went on Gills looked stronger. Prior to half-time the impressive TJ bramble found Fernandez who headed over as he tried to redeem himself from his earlier mistake.
The equaliser finally did come though as Jimmy Witt’s attacking runs paid off midway through the first half as his cross found the head of Roman Campbell, the equaliser giving him his third goal in as many games.
There was concern for Bramble though as he went down following a clash of heads with a visiting player, who seemed to carry on orchestrating the midfield.
Cambridge seemed happy to dig in until half time, where they were able to regroup and come up with another plan.
H/T: 1-1
Gills stormed out of the blocks in the second half with Ben Allen coming into the game a lot more on the left wing.
Linking up with Charles Noyelle firstly, Allen’s cross found the number ten, whose volley went just wide of the post.
It didn’t take long for the home side to take the game into their own hands as Arthurs low hit cross was first swiped by Noyelle, but the striker’s persistence paid off as he kept the ball at his feet and slotted home past the goalkeeper to take the lead.
At this point it was all Gillingham and they made their possession count.
A Cambridge corner was defended and picked up by Witt, who spotted Allen in no mans land on the right wing to counter.
Allen spotted the fresh legs of Jay Hards who had just replaced Arthurs a few minutes before.
Hards was the one to cross hoping to find a blue shirt in the six-yard box, but instead he found a yellow one who turned it into his own net.
In the latter stages of the game, the yellow of Cambridge began to press a lot more in the search of a goal.
Walker in the Gillingham goal stunningly tipped the ball onto the bar and mad several one-on-one stops to keep out the visitors.
Cambridge did install some hope as a miscued shot deflected off their own player to roll into the net to reduce the deficit.
However, the Gills saw the game out to win and keep their unbeaten start to the season.
F/T: 3-2
Gills: Walker, Scarlett, Sheminant, Fernandez, Witt, Arthurs, Allen, Bramble, Lamb, Campbell, Noyelle.
Subs: Lintott, Bancroft, Hards, Baker, Laing.
Cambridge: Gill, Miller, Dickens, Simper, Gray, Goode, Bennett, Jetlude, Neal, Worman, Dearman
Subs: Batten, Rigby, Battersby, Zamerran, Darcy.