Gillingham were knocked out of the Carabao Cup on penalties against AFC Wimbledon.
Antwoine Hackford put Wimbledon in front with a clinical first-half finish and the Gills left it late to equalise when Ethan Coleman headed in from an 83rd-minute corner.
The crossbar denied Robbie McKenzie from settling the tie in normal time, and after the game finished 1-1, it went straight to penalties, won by the visitors after a retaken penalty, winning the shootout 4-2.
Gills boss Gareth Ainsworth – a former Dons player – made six changes to his weekend team which started against Walsall. The Londoners made eight from the team which began their match against Lincoln City.
Those coming into the starting line-up for the Gills were goalkeeper Jack Turner, defender Sam Gale, midfielders Coleman, Nelson Khumbeni and Jonny Williams – who captained the side – and forward Marcus Wyllie.
Conor Masterson dropped out through injury while Ainsworth had the chance to name youth players Cruz Beszant and striker Stan Sargent on the bench as League Cup rules permitted nine subs.
Sargent scored twice for the under-18s at the weekend in a 3-1 win at Newport, having hit braces against Deal Town and Colchester United in friendly outings for the youth side over the summer.
Injured trio Aaron Rowe, Seb Palmer-Houlden and Sam Vokes remained absent while there was no place in the squad again for winger Jack Nolan, who seems destined for an exit before the transfer window closes at the start of next month.
With Coleman on defensive-midfield duties, Williams and Khumbeni had the freedom to join Wyllie and Gbode upfront to create good numbers going forward. In the early stages the Gills weren’t short of chances.
Wyllie had the best of the early openings, picking up a ball over the top, but a bit of hesitancy led to players getting back in numbers and his eventual shot was saved.
Khumebin side-footed an effort into a crowded area, Williams had a shot blocked as he looked to pick out the bottom corner and Shad Ogie sent a rising shot wide. Gale also fired wide.
For all of Gills’ positive approach play, it was Wimbledon who went ahead, scoring on the break with 32 minutes played after Omar Bugiel had won the ball off Williams.
Bugiel found Danilo Orsi, who in turn timed his pass to perfection, allowing Hackford a run at goal where he finished with confidence past Jake Turner.
The Gills had a couple of chances from free-kicks that came and went and Williams also fired wide, hoping to catch the keeper out at his near post after a super take-down from a cross-field pass.
The Gills went into the break a goal down, with nothing to show for their efforts.
With Masterson already out injured, seeing Ogie withdrawn early in the second half wasn’t a good sign. The versatile Robbie McKenzie came off the bench to fill in as centre-half.
Gbode had headed a chance from a corner at keeper Joe McDonnell but chances were harder for the Gills to create in the second half.
Ainsworth’s tactical switch had paid off in the weekend game but it was the visitors who made the changes first on Tuesday, Wimbledon making a triple substitution with an hour hone.
Josh Andrews was introduced with 25 minutes left and he attempted to barge his way through the visiting defence with his first act.
Bugiel went close from distance for the visitors before Ainsworth made more attacking changes, handing Sargent an opportunity along with Nevitt.
The Gills equalised with seven minutes left from Max Clark’s corner – won thanks to Gale’s determined run down the flank – headed home by substitute Coleman.
The Gills pushed for a winner and a second goal almost followed moments later when Andrews played in McKenzie and he headed against the crossbar.
With no further goals, the match went straight to a penalty shootout for a place in Wednesday night’s second round draw.
Max Clark scored Gills’ first, Williams had his saved, McKenzie converted but when Andrews’ effort was also saved, Alistair Smith only needed to score his. Turner saved but referee Neil Hair ordered a retake and the Wimbledon man fired home at the second attempt.
Gillingham: Turner, Hutton, Clark, Gale, Smith, Ogie (McKenzie 52mins), Coleman, Khumbeni (Andrews 66mins), J Williams, Gbode (Nevitt 74mins), Wyllie (Sargent 74mins). Subs not used: Morris, Little, Dack, Cirino, Beszant.
AFC Wimbledon: McDonnell, Asiimwe, Johnson, Orsi (Stevens 85mins), Maycock, Bugiel (Hippolyte 77mins), Hackford (Kelly 61mins), McCoy-Splatt (Smith 61mins), Harbottle, Sasu (Seddon 61mins), Ogundere. Subs not used: Bishop, Horan, Sidwell, Nkeng.
Referee: Neil Hair
Attendance: 2,205 (339 away)
