Jack Nolan and Jayden Clarke got on the scoresheet as Gillingham continued their pre-season schedule with a 3-1 win against Southend United at Roots Hall.
Nolan gave the Gills the lead in confusing circumstances. The attacker headed Robbie McKenzie’s cross against the inside of the post before the ball bounced across the line and was cleared. The linesman raised his flag, with everyone believing it was offside, but it was to actually award the goal.
Clarke added a second a couple of minutes later before half-time. He was played through on goal before calmly slotting the ball past Collin Andeng Ndi.
Josh Walker pulled a goal back for Southend before there was more confusion for Gillingham’s third. Nolan curled a cross from the right in the direction of Marcus Wyllie. The ball bounced before hitting the back of the net, with no one knowing who got the final touch on the ball.
Marcus Wyllie led the line for Gills against the Shrimpers. Max Ehmer captained the side, with Shad Ogie joining him at the heart of the defence. Clarke, Aaron Rowe and Jack Nolan supported Wyllie in attack.
Wyllie very nearly had a huge chance in the opening minute. He made a run between two Southend defenders to get on the end of Ehmer’s long pass forward. Wyllie’s first touch took it away from the oncoming Andeng Ndi, but a defender recovered in time to clear the danger.
In the 18th minute, Harry Cardwell should have hit the target. Jack Bridge managed to get down the left wing before whipping a cross into the box. Cardwell got on the end of it, with his attempted hook goalward ultimately going backwards, essentially clearing the ball from the danger.
Gus Scott-Morris should have hit the target a few minutes later. A cross from the left evaded everybody before dropping to the full-back, who was in acres of space. He set himself before getting the shot away, sending it wide of the back post, with Max Clark applying late pressure.
Gills scored twice in as many minutes, with the first coming in the 42nd. Rowe dispossessed a Southend defender just inside the Gillingham half before entering the host’s attacking third.
He drove forward before passing it to Wyllie, who played a pass for the underlapping Robbie McKenzie. McKenzie’s outside-of-the-foot cross found Nolan, whose header hit the inside of the post before bouncing onto the line and being cleared by Oli Coker.
The linesman raised his flag, which led everybody to believe that it was offside. However, it was to alert the referee that the ball had crossed the line, thus awarding Nolan the goal.
After the confusion had died down, Gillingham had a second through Clarke. Jake Turner played the ball into Wyllie, who then played the ball in behind the Southend defence for Clarke to latch onto. Clarke was one-on-one with Andeng Ndi before cooly slotting it beyond the goalkeeper and into the back of the net.
HALF-TIME: Southend United 0-2 Gillingham
Former Gills loanee Josh Walker pulled a goal back just moments into the second half. He took advantage of a slip by Ogie to win the ball in the box before drilling the ball into the bottom corner from around ten yards out.
Just short of the hour, Gills added a third. Nolan had the ball on the right before cutting onto his left foot and curling a cross towards Wyllie. The ball bounced inside the box before going beyond Andeng Ndi and into the back of the net. There was some confusion as to whether Wyllie got a final touch on the ball, with neither player claiming the goal.
Wyllie had a golden chance to make it four after Remeao Hutton’s peach of a cross found the striker unmarked inside the penalty area. Unfortunately, he could not make clear contact with the ball, glancing his header well wide of the target.
That would be the striker’s final involvement, as Gillingham made changes, replacing all their outfield players.
During the final moments, Turner pulled off a magnificent save to deny a Southend Trialist. The hosts won possession halfway inside the Gillingham half before working the ball into the box. The Trialist had a free shot at goal, getting plenty of power behind the effort. However, Turner got across, getting a solid palm behind the ball to send it around the post.
Harry Bridle had a half-chance during stoppage time, shooting from around 20 yards. However, he got his strike wrong, shanking it wide of the target.
FULL-TIME: Southend United 1-3 Gillingham
Southend United: Andeng Ndi (Trialist A 71’), Scott-Morriss, Kensdale, Bridge (Trialist C 80’), Cardwell (Wood 71’), Walker (Waldron 63’), Gubbins, Taylor (Ralph 63’), Miley, Morton, Coker (Trialist B 71’)
Unused Substitutes: Faulkner, MacDonald, Shobawale
Gillingham: Turner, Hutton (Webster 63’), Ehmer (Hawkins 63’), Ogie (Masterson 63’), Clark (Gale 63’), Dieng (Waldock 63’), McKenzie (Skipper 63’), Clarke, (Bridle 63’) Rowe (Trialist 63’), Nolan (Nadesan 63’), Wyllie (Gbode 63’)
Unused Substitutes: Morris
Referee: Danial Baines
Attendance: 2225 (278 Gillingham supporters)
