Gillingham 2 Charlton 0
The Addicks were far from their best as they were knocked out of the FA Cup in the second round by Gillingham at Priestfield Stadium.
Despite a good run of form in the league leading into the game, Charlton were beaten 2-0 with former Addick Macauley Bonne and midfielder Tim Dieng scoring first-half goals.
In a physical game both sides had chances in the opening 25 minutes. The Addicks came close to scoring in the ninth minute when Louie Watson found an unmarked Alfie May with a clever short-corner routine. The striker’s shot was on target but Gillingham keeper Jake Turner was able to turn the ball away with his legs.
At the other end George Dobson’s excellent diving block kept out former Addicks’ academy graduate George Lapslie.
It was another former Addick who opened the scoring in the 26th minute. Winger Jayden Clarke beat Ashley Maynard-Brewer to a ball in the channel. Clarke calmly fed Bonne who found the net with a left-footed shot which took a deflection and went in off the post.
Four minutes later the home side doubled their lead when Lapslie slid Dieng in behind the Charlton defence and the midfielder made no mistake with a calm finish.
Gillingham were able to create further chances in the second half with Conor Masterson heading just over and Clarke forcing a smart save from Maynard-Brewer with a stinging shot.
Michael Appleton’s first changes came shortly after the hour mark as the Addicks began to see more of the ball. In the 67th minute the ball fell to May on the edge of the area but the in-form goalscorer wasn’t quite able to direct his left-footed effort.
Maynard-Brewer did well to deny Bonne a second when the striker picked up a short header back from Lucas Ness. The Addicks stopper made himself big and took enough off the ball to allow Ness to recover and clear.
Gillingham controlled the remainder of the game to move onto the next round while the Addicks are back in action in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy on Wednesday against Reading.
Gillingham: Turner, Masterson, Ehmer (c), Lapslie (Nadesan 84), J.Williams (S.Williams 45+5), Malone, McKenzie, Clarke (Nichols 84), Coleman (Jefferies 34), Dieng, Bonne (Alexander 84)
Subs (not used): Morris, Clark, Hawkins, Ogie
Goals: Bonne 26, Dieng 30
Assists: Clarke 26, Lapslie 30
Booked: Malone (90+3, foul on May)
Charlton: Maynard-Brewer; Asiimwe, Ness, Jones, Edun (T.Watson 61); Dobson (c), L.Watson (Fraser 61); T.Campbell (Kanu 78), May, Blackett-Taylor; Tedić (Mbick 78)
Subs (not used): Walker, Hector, Thomas, Kedwell, Anderson
Booked: May (44, kicking the ball away), Ness 55 (foul on Lapslie), Dobson 70 (foul on Lapslie)
Referee: S Gill
Attendance: 7,717 (1,608 from Charlton)
