Two goals in the last two minutes from Sean Farrell and Jeff Eckhardt saw ten-man Fulham fight back from 3-1 to draw 3-3 at Gillingham and effectively knock their local rivals out of the Autoglass Trophy following a crazy conclusion to a dramatic night at Priestfield.
The Gills were leading 3-1 with two minutes left, with Fulham goalkeeper Richard Gough having long since been red-carded, and looked certain of progressing from the group stage courtesy of Liburd Henry’s devastating double and a fine free-kick from Martin O’Connor. But Farrell sidefooted home from Jeff Eckhardt’s cross to cut the deficit before Eckhardt, playing as a makeshift centre forward, delightfully dinked a finish over Scott Barrett after a defensive mix-up to put Fulham on the cusp of progression from the group.
This local derby got off to an electric start inside two minutes. Home goalkeeper Barrett, keen to make up for a costly error in the FA Cup against his former club Colchester on Saturday, started a flowing move that saw Henry sprint past Mark Newson and squeeze a shot past Gough. Fulham weathered the storm and levelled in the 26th minute when Gough’s long punt found Peter Baah, who burst away from Matthew Joseph, and steered a shot beyond Barrett to score his first senior goal for the Whites.
Gillingham looked the likelier for the remainder of the first period with their most promising periods of pressure provided by Republic of Ireland under-21 international Mark Dempsey, but the hosts didn’t regain the lead until midway through the second half when Henry hammered home his second of the night. The former Margate forward was on hand to tuck home from close range after Gough had twice foiled efforts from Trevor Aylott after the veteran striker had got free of his marker to meet Paul Stephenson’s corner.
Don Mackay sent Eckhardt up front after replacing Lee Tierling with Mark Tucker, but Fulham’s hopes of forcing an equaliser appeared remote when O’Connor curled home a majestic free-kick from the edge of the box to make it 3-1. Gough was already apoplectic with rage that referee David Axcell had penalised him for taking too long to clear the ball, but O’Connor’s fine finish tipped him over the edge. He manhandled the referee – apparently protesting that the free-kick should have been indirect – and was immediately sent off.
Without a substitute goalkeeper on the bench, Martin Pike took over in goal and he was fortunate not to be punished for appearing to handle a backpass from Mark Newson just after being given the gloves. Perhaps referee Axcell was making amends. It proved crucial as first Farrell fired home from Eckhardt’s cross and, then, with Barrett well out of his goal, the veteran lobbed him to complete the craziest of comebacks from the Cottagers.
GILLINGHAM: Barrett; Joseph, Green, Hague, Palmer, Dempsey, Stephenson, O’Connor, Smith (Watson 65), Henry, Aylott. Sub (not used): Roeder.
BOOKED: Dempsey.
GOALS: Henry (2, 68), O’Connor (80).
FULHAM: Gough; Newson, Pike, Eckhardt, Cooper, Baah, Hails, Marshall, Farrell, Tierling (Tucker 75), Onwere. Subs (not used): P. Kelly.
BOOKED: Eckhardt, Farrell.
SENT OFF: Gough.
GOALS: Baah (26), Farrell (88), Eckhardt (90).
REFEREE: David Axcell (Southend).
ATTENDANCE: 1,085.
