Checkatrade Trophy: Gillingham progress after 12-goal thriller
Wednesday 8 November 2017 12:06, UK
Gillingham reached the last 32 of the Checkatrade Trophy with an astonishing 7-5 victory over Reading U21s.
There were 12 goals at Priestfield Stadium, with five coming in the first half as the Gills ran into a 4-1 lead - Greg Cundle scoring the first after just 15 seconds.
However, Reading staged a dramatic fightback to level to contest at 4-4 before three goals in the final 10 minutes saw Gillingham through.
Charlton missed the chance to top Group A as they slipped to a 1-0 defeat a home to group winners Portsmouth.
Goals from Ben Stevenson and Max Biamou earned Coventry a 2-1 victory over West Brom U21s, but Walsall's 1-0 win at Shrewsbury dumped the holders out of the competition.
Wigan handed 15-year-old Jensen Weir his debut for the club but it was a night to forget for the Latics as they followed Coventry out of the competition following a 4-0 home defeat to Accrington Stanley.
Oxford United kept their hopes of avenging consecutive final defeats alive, progressing to the next round on goal difference following a 4-3 defeat at home to MK Dons.
A 4-3 penalty shoot-out defeat saw Southampton U21s bow out of the competition, following a 3-3 draw with Northampton.
Lincoln City secured top spot in Group G with a 2-1 victory over Notts County as Sincil Bank.
Peterborough booked their place in the next round with a 2-0 victory against local rivals Cambridge, thanks to goals from Steven Taylor and Jack Marriott
Port Vale secured top spot in Group D with a 4-2 win over Crewe, while Oldham thumped Newcastle U21s 4-1 thanks to a brace apiece from Jack Byrne and Eoin Doyle to qualify.
Blackburn's hopes of progressing hang by a threat after they lost 5-3 on penalties following a 1-1 draw at Rochdale. Rovers currently occupy second spot in Group C but Bury can knock them out if they beat Stoke U21s on Wednesday.
Newport's campaign ended with a 2-1 victory at Cheltenham Town, but the result came too late for them to progress.
