Youth: Gillingham 1-1 Leyton Orient

Points shared at Beechings.

Leroy Hlabi’s second-half strike was enough to earn Gillingham a point at Beechings Cross on Saturday against Leyton Orient.

Gills drew 1-1 in Ben White’s first game as youth coach following his appointment earlier in the week.

The hosts bossed proceedings in the first half but were unable to find a way through before the interval. Orient went ahead shortly after the restart when a corner from the right was punched away by Louie Catherall, however the loose ball fell kindly to Hector Kryprianou just two yards out, and he made no mistake.

Gills responded well and progressively began to ask more questions of the Orient defence, eventually drawing level on 67 minutes when Leroy Hlabi’s shot from inside the box came off the inside of the near post and into the back of the net. The power of the strike simply too much for the Orient keeper to deal with.

Both sides had half chances to go and win the game, however the teams had to settle for a point each.

Gills: Catherall, Scarlett, Tucker, Sheminant, Arnold (Morrell 79), Huckle, Arthurs (Noyelle 74), Hlabi, Woods (Gildea 70), White (Bramble 86), Campbell.