Gillingham cruised to a comfortable 4-1 win over Fulham’s under 21s in their first Football League Trophy group game at the Priestfield Stadium this evening.
Logan Dobbs, Cruz Beszant and Stan Sargent grabbed their first goals for the Gills as Gareth Ainsworth’s side claimed three points in a largely straightforward victory. Debutant Dobbs opened the scoring as early as the third minute firing a fine finish into the corner of Alfie McNally’s net after reaching a clever pass from Aaron Rowe inside the penalty area.
Fulham took a while to assert themselves upon proceedings having been bruised by such an early setback and struggled to create clear-cut chances despite seeing more of the ball in the opening half an hour. Full back Brad de Jesus had their first effort of any real note when he curled a free-kick from long range wide of goal on 32 minutes.
Gillingham could easily have headed into the break with more than a one-goal lead. Max Clarke played Marcus Wyllie in behind the square Fulham backline but, after timing his run well to remain onside, the striker couldn’t get enough of a telling touch to turn the full back’s low cross past the helpless McNally and into the net. Wyllie then spurned a better opening moments later – heading Remeao Hutton’s cross straight at the Fulham goalkeeper.
But Wyllie made amends by turning provider three minutes after the break as Gillingham wasted no time in doubling their lead. He produced a good ball into the feet of the bright Beszant, who finished with aplomb from six yards out. Fulham were quickly given a chance to reduce the deficit when the goalscorer brought down the marauding Chibby Nwoko inside the box, but the usually reliable Aaron Loupalo-Bi fluffed his lines from twelve yards – skewing the ensuing penalty wide of the target.
Midfielder Louie Dayal took just a minute to put the game beyond Fulham’s reach after being introduced from the substitutes bench. A superb ball in from the left reached Wyllie at the far post and this time the forward couldn’t fail to score from four yards out. Dayal almost scored himself ten minutes later, but when McNally parried his fierce drive following a clever flick from Beszant, Sergeant was on hand to score from the rebound.
Fulham were well beaten by this point and desperate for the final whistle. Teenage winger Macauley Zepa came close with a powerful drive from 25 yards that whistled over the crossbar, but the Cottagers were cut open in stoppage time as Lenni Cirino’s cross found Wyllie only for McNally to pull off a magnificent reaction save. The Whites did conjure up a consolation goal at the last when a Nwoko piledriver pinged back off the post and an alert Loupalo-Bi followed up to score from ten yards.
GILLINGHAM (4-4-1-1): Turner, Hutton (Webster 45), Dobbs, Akomeah, Clark (Sargent 45), Cirino, Little (Khumbeni 46), Waldock, Beszant, Rowe (Dayal 60), Wyllie. Subs (not used): Morris, Smith, Gale.
BOOKED: Rowe.
GOALS: Dobbs (3), Beszant (48), Wyllie (61), Sargent (71).
FULHAM UNDER 21s (4-2-3-1): McNally; Gofford, de Jesus, Nsasi, Slade; Nwoko, Quashie; Olyott (Esenga 62), Ali Wahid, Works (Zepa 77); Loupalo-Bi. Subs (not used): Mayer, Cooke, Walters, White, Wingate.
GOAL: Loupalo-Bi (90+8).
REFEREE: Carl Brook (Scotland).
ATTENDANCE: 962.
