Gillingham 2 - 2 Wycombe (Wycombe won 3-1 on penalties)

GILLINGHAM paid the ultimate price for failing to wrap up their LDV Trophy tie with Wycombe on Tuesday night as they crashed out on penalties.

The Gills threw away what seemed to be a comfortable win after Matt Jarvis had netted a first-half double, only to see Wycombe's Charlie Griffin hit back with two goals in three minutes just before half-time.

Jarvis set the game alight on 23 minutes, netting the first of four goals inside 18 minutes, when he lobbed visiting 'keeper Ian Turner after Byfield had created the space.

Four minutes later Jarvis added his second after good work by Paul Smith and Neil Harris.

However, Wycombe fought back and Griffin was on hand to net from three yards after 39 minutes before a foul by Leon Johnson on Johnny Dixon in the area gave Griffin the chance to level from the penalty spot.

Harris struck a post and Ian Cox had an extra-time goal disallowed as the game went to a penalty shoot-out.

Andrew Crofts, Paul Shields and Ian Cox all failed from the spot, leaving Wycombe skipper Roger Johnson with the simple task of converting his side's winner.

Gillingham caretaker manager Ronnie Jepson said: "It was an open game and I wanted it to be but if you don’t put your chances away it’ll come back to haunt you, which it did with the penalties.

"The number of chances we created was quite incredible. When we get in those situations we’ve got to stick the ball in the back of the net."

Gillingham: Bullock, Clohessy (Corneille 105), Cox, Johnson, Williams, Spiller (Jackman 90), Jarvis, Crofts, Smith, Harris (Shields 75), Byfield.
Subs Not Used: Brown, Saunders.
Attendance: 2,111.