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Plymouth Argyle 1 Gillingham 2 - match report

Gillingham hit back with two late goals to beat Plymouth Argyle on Tuesday night.

A linesman’s flag ruled out a Bradley Dack goal with 75 minutes gone and moments later Craig Tanner volleyed home for the hosts.

Dack pulled the scores level with five minutes left and Jake Hessenthaler headed home the winner from close range.

Jake Hessenthaler celebrates scoring Gillingham's winner at Plymouth Picture: Barry Goodwin
Jake Hessenthaler celebrates scoring Gillingham's winner at Plymouth Picture: Barry Goodwin

Boss Justin Edinburgh made just two changes to the team which started Saturday’s match against Sheffield United.

Aaron Morris picked up a knock at the weekend while Emmanuel Osadebe sat on the sidelines during Tuesday’s match. The Gills named just six subs.

Edinburgh set his side up with a different formation for the Capital One Cup clash, preferring a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Luke Norris up-top as the lone striker.

The Gills struggled to impose themselves in the opening half and Plymouth were left to rue a string of missed chances.

Gregg Wylde had the best opportunity. Craig Tanner picked out his run but Nelson made a great save with his feet.

A flurry of chances followed with Adedeji Oshilaja making a good block from Graham Carey and Carl McHugh screwing a chance wide.

Gillingham’s first on-target shot came from Luke Norris, off a free-kick, but keeper Luke McCormick saved his 27 minute effort.

Plymouth had another good chance towards the end of the half but Reuben Reid’s effort was weak and Nelson saved.

The Gills went off at the break with few clear-cut chances themselves after 45 minutes where they lacked the intensity of the weekend.

Neither side made a change at the break and neither were able to produce a goal-scoring chance in the opening stages. Norris dragged a shot wide for the visitors with an hour gone.

Plymouth’s Hiram Boateng tried his luck from distance but was thwarted by Nelson, who conceded a corner with the save. From the set-piece Gills could only clear as far as Curtis Nelson and he fired a shot narrowly wide.

Immediately down the other end Dack picked up a loose ball on the edge of the box. He attempted to curl it into the corner of the net but wend the wrong side of the post.

Gillingham had a goal ruled out for off-side with 15 minutes left. A Josh Wright free-kick was met by defender Kelvin Mellor, the ball fell to Dack and he netted, but the goal was controversially chalked off after the referee consulted with the linesman.

Four minutes later and the Gills were behind. Kelvin Mellor whipped in a cross and from just inside the box Craig Tanner volleyed home into the roof of the net.

The Gills were level on 85 minutes when Dack raced onto a ball forward and dinked the ball over keeper McCormick to make it 1-1.

Gillingham then took the lead three minutes later when Hessenthaler netted from close range.

Plymouth: McCormick, Mellor, Sawyer, McHugh, Nelson, Hartley, Reid (Simpson 84mins), Carey, Wylde (Brunt 78mins), Jervis (Tanner 11mins), Boateng. Subs not used: Cox, Purrington, Bentley, Bittner.

Gillingham: Nelson, Jackson, Egan, Houghton, Hessenthaler, Williamson (Wright 69mins), McGlashan (Garmston 59mins), Dack, Dickenson, Norris (Donnelly 84mins), Oshilaja. Subs not used: Ehmer, G Morris, Davies.

Attendance: 5,120 (272 away)
