Dominic Samuel and Vadaine Oliver both on target as Gills complete amazing comeback at MEMS Priestfield Stadium.
Substitute Vadaine Oliver headed the Gills into the second round of the Emirates FA Cup following a fantastic second-half comeback at the MEMS Priestfield Stadium.
Woking did their best to cause a cup upset, and were well on their way after going 2-0 up, but the Gills scored three times in the final 30 minutes to cap off an impressive comeback.
Max Kretzschmar and Josh Davison gave Woking a surprising 2-0 lead as the Gills failed to clear set pieces for both goals.
Dominic Samuel then scored a brace in the space of ten minutes to bring the scores level. His first came from a diving header which he managed to latch on to following a great low cross from Jordan Graham.
His second came from a rebound after Declan Drysdale’s header hit the crossbar from a Graham corner.
Oliver grabbed the third, and the winner, with a little over ten minutes to go.
The goal was once again created by a brilliant Graham cross which was a hanging one towards the back post, and it allowed the Gillingham striker to latch onto it and head beyond Craig Ross in the visitor's goal.
Steve Evans’ side went in search of going on another cup run having made the third round last season, and he named a strong starting eleven.
The Gills made four changes to the team that won at Crewe in midweek. Jack Bonham came back in goal having recovered from a concussion, the match-winner from Tuesday night John Akinde started, as did Declan Drysdale and Dominic Samuel. They replaced Joe Lumley, Zech Medley, Trae Coyle and Vadaine Oliver respectively.
In the fourth minute of the game, John Akinde almost similarly started his day to how he did against Crewe.
Jordan Graham got the better of his man and put in a left-footed cross towards the back post.
Akinde was able to meet the cross, but his header bounced off the top of the crossbar and went out for a goal kick.
There was a stoppage in play just short of the tenth minute as Tyler Reid had a nasty clash with Graham. Having spent time on the floor receiving lengthy treatment, Reid was able to get up onto his feet and continue the game.
Woking had their first chance in the 17th minute which forced Jack Bonham into action.
Josh Davison was given the ball in space on the edge of the penalty area, but Bonham parried his effort out for a corner.
In the 23rd minute, Max Kretzschmar gave the visitors a shock lead. He was first to a knockdown on the edge of the penalty area and, after shifting to a more central position on the edge of the box, drilled his left-footed effort into the bottom corner of the net and past Bonham.
The Gills almost found an immediate response through Dominic Samuel.
Akinde did well to head Declan Drysdale’s long ball down to his strike partner, whose effort on the turn was brilliantly saved by the legs of Craig Ross.
Kretzschmar came close again for the visitors, but a deflection put his effort wide for a corner.
From the resulting corner, it took Jack Tucker to head the ball off the line to ensure Woking did not double their lead.
HALF-TIME: Gillingham 0-1 Woking
Steve Evans made one change at half-time as he brought Oliver on to replace Akinde.
Woking doubled their lead ten minutes after half-time through Davison.
The Gills failed to clear their lines from a corner, allowing Davison to latch onto a loose ball, and he was able to fire into the back of the net from the edge of the six-yard box.
In the 59th minute, Samuel gave Gillingham a lifeline. Graham whipped a low cross towards the front post, and Samuel sent his diving header into the bottom corner giving the keeper absolutely no chance.
Substitute Trae Coyle tested Ross in the Woking goal just after the hour, but his low driven free-kick was a comfortable save for the goalkeeper.
Samuel grabbed his second of the game ten minutes later and brought the Gills back on level terms.
Drysdale won a header from a corner which hit the crossbar, and Samuel was first to the rebound and poked the ball home into the bottom corner whilst avoiding the foot of the Woking defender.
In the 79th minute, the Gills completed an incredible comeback through sub, Vadaine Oliver.
Graham attacked the right-wing and put another great cross towards the back post for the striker to meet, and head past Ross into the back of the net from a little over six yards out.
The Gills were not done though, and Kyle Dempsey almost grabbed a fourth in style.
Graham cut the ball back to the Gills captain on the edge of the penalty area, and his curling shot towards the far side of the goal hit the post and bounced away from danger.
Slavi Spasov did his best to find a late equaliser, but his half volley proved to be an easy save for Bonham.
FULL-TIME: Gillingham 3-2 Woking
Gillingham: Bonham; Jackson, Tucker, Drysdale, Ogilvie; McKenzie, Dempsey, O’Connor (Coyle 60’); Samuel, Akinde (Oliver 46’), Graham
Unused subs: Walsh, Medley, Maghoma, Eccles, Willock
Woking: Ross, Cook, Casey, Cooper, Shotton, Ferdinand, Kretzchmar (Wareham 86), Spasov, Dempsey (Tarpey 83), Reid, Davison.
Unused subs: Smith, Gerring, Collier, Leslie, Lofthouse.
Referee: Mr C Sarginson