Millwall 2 Gillingham 1

GILLINGHAM were knocked out of the Carling Cup at the first round stage despite a brave display against neighbours Millwall.

The visiting Gillingham side more than matched their hosts but had to return to Kent with nothing to show for their efforts.

A slip in the first half by Brent Sancho handed Millwall their opening goal, Andrew Crofts levelled things up during a lively second half from a corner kick, but a near identical effort from the home side minutes later put the Lions into round two.

Manager Ronnie Jepson made two changes to the side that lost 1-0 to Northampton on Saturday, with Clint Easton making his debut, while striker Guylain Ndumbu-Nsungu was starting a match for the first time this season.

Neither keeper was severely tested in the opening half and Gillingham's closest effort came on 36 minutes when Easton hit a long range effort just wide of Lenny Pidgeley's post.

Millwall opened their account on 39 minutes, when a slip from Sancho let Braniff through on goal, and the striker finished with a curling effort round keeper Darren Randolph.

Gillingham upped the pressure in the second half and a series of corners almost led to the equaliser mid-way through the half.

Twice captain Michael Flynn saw shots deflected wide, with the second nearly going in off Ndumbu-Nsungu, before substitute Crofts saw a header go narrowly over from a third succesive corner.

It was from a corner that Gillingham levelled thing up in the 81st minute, their seventh of the match, as Crofts rose to head home Easton's set-piece.

But just four minutes later Millwall regained the lead, thanks to corner at the other end, which was floated in by Filipe Morias and like Crofts header before, Poul Hubertz nodded in past the outstretched keeper.

GILLS: Randolph, Jupp, Jackman, Flynn, Sancho, Cox, Bentley (Crofts 61), Jarvis, Easton, McDonald (Mulligan 75), Ndumbu-Nsungu. Subs Not Used: Johnson, Pouton, Clohessy. Att: 5040.