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Millwall 2 Gillingham 1 – EFL Trophy match report

Gillingham will face a dead-rubber against West Brom following a late EFL Trophy defeat against Millwall.

Josh Wright opened the scoring against his former team but Millwall levelled through Fred Onyedinma with the last action of the first half.

Billy Knott and Elliott List fired over for the Gills during a low-key second half but Millwall substitute Steve Morison struck with two minutes to go to win it for the home side.

Millwall cancel out Josh Wright's opener before scoring an 88th-minute winner Picture: Barry Goodwin
Millwall cancel out Josh Wright's opener before scoring an 88th-minute winner Picture: Barry Goodwin

Gillingham lost their opening EFL Trophy match against Luton Town while Millwall beat West Brom in their first game in the group H stage.

With the Gills and West Brom both beaten on Tuesday night the pair sit bottom of the group without a point between them. The two sides face each other next month, with only pride to play for.

Millwall and Luton progress after winning both of their opening games.

New signing Chris Herd started for the Gills but striker Frank Nouble will have to wait as the club have yet to gain international clearance, following his recent spell in China.

Captain Wright started, having recently been dropped, while there was also a place in the XI for Jake Hessenthaler, back for the first time since the last EFL Trophy match.

Rory Donnelly started the match ahead of a two-game ban for his sending off in the league game at Wimbledon.

In all, boss Justin Edinburgh made six changes to his starting XI from the weekend, while the home side made seven, resting former Gills players Joe Martin and Mahlon Romeo.

Gillingham were rewarded for their positive start with the opening goal. Hessenthaler’s corner was helped on by Herd's persistence and Wright was on hand to squeeze the ball past keeper Tom King.

Millwall were frustrating their home crowd with their lack of cutting edge and it wasn’t until late in the half that Gills keeper Stuart Nelson was called into action. He was out sharply to collect the ball as Lee Gregory looked to latch onto a flick-on.

Gillingham had threatened several times without really creating too many clear-cut chances and Millwall were handed a way back into the game at the end of the half.

A Millwall free-kick was whipped into a crowded box and when Nelson failed to get distance on a punch, Onyedinma was on hand to nod the home side level.

The home side introduced striker Morison at the break, along with Martin, and with a switch in formation they instantly looked more of a threat.

Despite the early pressure in the second half, the hosts failed to capitalise and both sides struggled to create a clear chance. Substitute Billy Knott fired well over for the Gills with 15 minutes left.

List, who was a threat with his pace throughout, volleyed over a Hessenthaler cross with eight minutes to go but late on Morison took a touch to create some room in the box before volleying home past Nelson.

Millwall: King, Craig, Williams, Thompson, Gregory, Onyedinma, Wylde (Morison 46mins), Nelson, Butcher, Brown (Abdou 54mins), Chesmain (Martin 46mins). Subs not used: Archer, Twardek, Philpot, Rooney.

Gillingham: Nelson, Jackson (Knott 71mins), Osadebe, Ehmer, Pask (Dickenson 46mins), Oshilaja, Wright, Herd (Byrne 61mins), Hessenthaler, List, Donnelly. Subs not used: Hadler, Oldaker, O’Mara, Chapman.

Attendance: 2,104 (111 away).

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