Three magnificent Gills goals ensure second ever win at The Valley.
Kyle Dempsey’s late goal ensured Gills took all three points from The Valley as they beat Charlton 3-2 in a pulsating encounter on Saturday afternoon.
The Gills captain did well to get past his marker before unleashing a ferocious shot into the roof of the net giving Ben Amos no chance.
Olly Lee had given Gills the lead inside the opening 37 seconds. He latched onto a John Akinde knockdown and curled a powerful effort into the bottom right corner.
Chuks Aneke equalised in the 15th minute. Liam Millar met a loose ball and played Aneke through, and he managed to slot it past Bonham from inside the penalty area.
In the 37th minute, Connor Ogilvie scored what might be the goal of the season.
Charlton were only able to clear a Dempsey cross as far as 20 yards. Ogilvie came out of nowhere and blasted a magnificent volley into the top corner, leaving Amos with little chance such was the power and bend on the effort.
Jayden Stockley brought the hosts back on level terms in the 52nd minute as he found the bottom corner with a header from an Andrew Shinnie cross.
Aneke received two yellow cards in the space of two minutes as Charlton were reduced to ten men with 20 minutes still to play.
Gills took advantage of that late on as Dempsey scored emphatically to put Gills back in front.
Steve Evans made three changes to the team that lost to Lincoln, as Tom O’Connor, John Akinde and Stuart O’Keefe all came into the starting 11.
Christian Maghoma returned to the substitutes bench having missed a period of time with an ankle injury.
Olly Lee gave Gillingham the lead after just 37 seconds. John Akinde did well to lay it off to the midfielder, and after he settled himself, he shot from distance. He struck the effort with a lot of power as it nestled into the bottom corner, giving Ben Amos little opportunity to save it.
Liam Millar did well to muster a goal scoring chance, but it took a goal-line clearance to deny Charlton from getting an immediate response.
Chuks Aneke came close in the sixth minute. He did well to get inside the Gillingham penalty area, but his fierce strike rattled Jack Bonham’s near post.
Kyle Dempsey almost doubled Gillingham’s lead from a corner shortly afterwards. His low curling ball bounced across the penalty area and looked likely to go in if a Gills player managed to get a touch. Unfortunately, the ball bounced all the way out for a goal kick.
In the 15th minute, Aneke found an equaliser. Gills were unable to clear their lines, and Millar latched onto a loose ball. He played Aneke through on goal, and he poked it beyond Bonham and into the back of the net from close range.
Darren Pratley came close in the 21st minute. Jake Forster-Caskey’s cross found Pratley on the edge of the area, and his half volley needed a big fingertip from Bonham to push it over the bar.
In the 34th minute, Gills created another excellent opening. Akinde did fantastically well, chasing the ball down and winning it. He got beyond the defender and played an excellent delivery across goal, but it took a massive clearance to deny Vadaine Oliver from sliding it into the back of the net.
In the 37th minute, Connor Ogilvie scored an incredible volley.
Charlton could only clear a Dempsey cross as far as the left-back, and he came flying in to smash the first time volley into the top corner. It gave Amos no chance as it thundered past him.
HALF-TIME: Charlton Athletic 1-2 Gillingham
In the 52nd minute, Jayden Stockley equalised for Charlton. Andrew Shinnie’s cross towards the six-yard box was met by the head of an unmarked Stockley, and he headed it into the bottom corner.
Akinde had a chance from a tight angle following a good move soon after, but his effort flashed wide of the target.
It took a massive save from Bonham to stop Aneke from giving Charlton the lead.
Gills lost possession outside their penalty area, and Aneke was given the ball in space. Fortunately, an oncoming Bonham was on hand to push it wide of the goal.
In the 69th minute, Aneke received a yellow card following a clash with Jack Tucker.
Moments later, Aneke received his marching orders after a similar foul on Ogilvie, and the referee brandished the second yellow and a red card.
Oliver was the first to have an opportunity against the ten men of Charlton. Dempsey whipped a cross towards the back of the penalty area, and Oliver met it. However, his header was straight at Amos.
In the 86th minute, Lee rattled the crossbar. Jackson did well to get past Millar and play a low cross into the box. Lee struck it well, but it came off the woodwork. However, his frustration didn't last too long as, from the next passage of play, Dempsey got Gillingham’s third.
A Charlton clearance saw Gills regain possession and they got the ball inside the penalty area. The Gillingham captain picked up the ball and beat the defender before putting all his power into the shot. It rifled through Amos and hit the roof of the net to give Gills a late lead.
Diallang Jaiyesimi almost had an equaliser in the 90th minute. He had the ball 20 yards out and curled it towards the goal, but it was met by a brilliant save from Bonham.
FULL-TIME: Charlton Athletic 2-3 Gillingham
Charlton: Amos; Gunter, Oshilaja, Pearce, Purrington (Schwartz 88’); Millar, Forster-Caskey (Jaiyesimi 26’), Pratley (Morgan 90+1), Shinnie; Stockley, Aneke
Unused Subs: Harness, Matthews, Watson, Smith
Gillingham: Bonham, Jackson, Cundy, Tucker, Ogilvie, O'Connor, O'Keefe (McKenzie 59’), Lee, Dempsey, Akinde, Oliver (MacDonald 90’)
Unused Subs: Bastien, Maghoma, Willock, Johnson, Morton
Referee: Mr K Johnson