Non-League and Academy football writer

On Thursday evening I travelled to Gillingham, in County Kent, to watch Gillingham Under 18’s FA Youth Cup second round home time with non-League side Eastleigh’s Under 18 side, at Gillingham’s Priestfield Stadium. Whoever won this fixture would face Oxford United at home, in the next round of the competition. The winner was the home side, Gillingham, who won the game 3-1. It was Eastleigh who started the game the better of the two sides. An early effort from Kyran Samadi from the right side of the Gillingham box, hit the side-netting of the Gillingham goal. A couple of minutes later a low effort from Eastleigh centre-forward Joe Ryan on the edge of the Gillingham box, was saved by Gillingham goalkeeper Tobey Smith. Eastleigh continued to create chances in the early stages of the game. Kyran Samadi had a curling effort on goal which was pushed away by Tobey Smith, before Yuvraj Landa’s effort on the Gillingham goal went wide. A good forward run from Gillingham player Josh Bayliss, resulted in him having an effort deflected wide of the Eastleigh goal. 

Eastleigh goalkeeper Oliver Harrison managed to push behind an effort from inside the box by Bayliss, following a good Gillingham move. A couple of minutes later Harry Webster curled an effort just wide of the Eastleigh goal from the edge of their penalty area, as the home side started to get better in the game. Gillingham managed to take the lead shortly after thar chance. After midfielder Will de Wilde turned on the ball on the edge of the Eastleigh penalty area, he hit a powerful effort on goal, which went beyond Harrison at pace, and into the goal. Harry Webster hit a low effort wide of the Eastleigh goal, before a free-kick just outside of the Gillingham penalty area just before half-time, was taken by Sam Godfroy, whose excellent effort hit the top of Tobey Smith’s crossbar. Eastleigh started the second half in a similar way to how they started the first half. They managed to draw level, after Joe Ryan had managed to latch onto a through-ball pass in behind the Gillingham defence, having his initial effort inside the box saved by Smith, but he then finished confidently at the second attempt.

A good move from the visiting side resulted in Sol Femi having an effort well saved by Smith, inside the Gillingham box. Eastleigh were doing well as the second half progressed, however, they conceded for a second time, this time from a Gillingham throw-in. A long throw-in into the Eastleigh box, was headed on to Jimmy Heasman who finished from close range, to make it 2-1 to Gillingham. Very soon after that goal, Gillingham effectively won the game. A short pass back by a defender to the Eastleigh goalkeeper was latched onto by Ben Clark inside the Eastleigh box, and the impressive Gillingham substitute finished well into the goal with a low effort. A free-kick effort from Josh Bayliss went over the Eastleigh goal, before Leighton Murray’s effort from distance was saved by Oliver Harrison. In the final moments of the game, Eastleigh player Kyran Samadi had an effort on goal saved by Smith. This was a good cup tie, and one that was closer than the score might suggest. Gillingham midfielder Josh Bayliss was my player of the match.