Gills leave Cumbria empty handed.
Jon Mellish scored the only goal of the game as Carlisle United beat Gillingham 1-0 at Brunton Park on Saturday afternoon.
The hosts netted the only goal of the game on 55 minutes when the effort from Mellish took a deflection which prevented Glenn Morris from keeping it out.
Neil Harris made one change following the league draw against Walsall with David Tutonda starting in place of Ryan Law. Freddie Carter was named amongst the substitutes in the league for the first time.
Former Gills goalkeeper Tomas Holy started in goal for Carlisle.
Omari Patrick had the first opportunity of the game. Fin Back’s cross into the box saw Patrick rise the highest. He headed it goalward, but having failed to make meaningful contact his effort went wide of the target.
In the 27th minute, Elkan Baggott had Gillingham’s first opportunity of the game. He was allowed to venture his way into the Carlisle half before getting into the penalty area. Baggott shot from a tight angle at the near post, allowing Holy to make a comfortable save.
Tutonda had a good chance to open the scoring on the stroke of half-time. Gills did well to work the ball into space on the edge of the Carlisle penalty area. Mikael Mandron played it towards the left for Tutonda. The left back’s effort was towards the near post but straight at Holy, who made the save with relative ease.
HALF-TIME: Carlisle United 0-0 Gillingham
Glenn Morris did well to deny Paul Huntington in the 50th minute. Gills dealt with an initial free-kick into the box, but the second ball fell to the hosts on their left. A cross into the box was headed down for Huntington, who directed his goalward header into the ground. Morris did well to quickly react and make the save to deny the defender.
However Jon Mellish gave Carlisle the lead five minutes later. Mellish got onto the end of a clever backheel, and as he was being pressured, he managed to sneak the ball under the oncoming Morris, and it found the back of the net via a deflection.
The hosts from that point on managed the game well and maintained their clean sheet to take all three points.
FULL-TIME: Carlisle United 1-0 Gillingham
Carlisle United: Holy, Armer (Idehen 90’), Moxon (Hilton 77’), Huntington (Feeney 72’), Gibson, Guy, Patrick (Harris 77’), Dennis, Whelan, Mellish, Back
Unused Substitutes: Devitt, Kelly, Stretton
Gillingham: Morris, Alexander (Kashket 64’), Wright, Ehmer, Baggott, Tutonda (Law 51’), O’Keefe, Reeves, Adelakun (MacDonald 77’), Green, Mandron (Walker 64’)
Unused Substitutes: Turner, Carter, Lee
Referee: Marc Edwards
Attendance: 5261 (237 Gills supporters)