Gillingham made a winning start to their Vertu Trophy challenge with a trio of teenagers on the scoresheet against Fulham under-21s.
Logan Dobbs struck an early opener for the Gills on his first senior appearance, 17-year-old youth player Cruz Beszant netted the second, Marcus Wyllie added a third and youth striker Stan Sargent made it four. Fulham got one back in stoppage-time through Aaron Loupalo-Bi as it finished 4-1.
Just a day after the Gills had sold homegrown forward Joe Gbode to Luton Town, there looks to be plenty more talent coming through if Tuesday night was anything to go by.
Gillingham have only once progressed past the group stage in the Trophy in the previous seven seasons and were then beaten in round two by a Cambridge United team managed by Mark Bonner.
It was an impressive way to start their 2025/26 Trophy campaign – netting £10,000 for the win – ahead of further group games against Colchester United and Wycombe Wanderers.
Gills boss Gareth Ainsworth named a mixed side to start, throwing in some youth players alongside more experienced campaigners.
New loan signing Travis Akomeah started in the centre of defence alongside 18-year-old Dobbs.
Akomeah’s only other senior football had come in the EFL Trophy for Chelsea under-21s, making two appearances for them in 2024 before a move to Watford.
Dobbs has been a regular starter for Welling United on loan this season, while Harry Waldock was named in the eleven despite limited time at Whitehawk during his temporary spell there.
On this evidence, Waldock deserves more than late substitute appearances in the Isthmian Premier Division.
Teenage midfielders Beszant and Waldock were both making their first starts for the Gills in a senior first-team game.
The EFL Trophy might not be liked by everyone but for young players coming through it’s another platform to shine. It didn’t take Dobbs long to make his mark.
Dobbs had scored in Welling’s FA Cup qualifying win over Uxbridge on the Saturday and within three minutes of his first competitive start for the Gills he’d struck again.
Aaron Rowe picked the young defender out in the box and he finished well past keeper Alfie McNally.
Prior to Dobbs’ goal there was a pinpoint ball through the middle from hard-working defensive midfielder Waldock to Armani Little, the crowd showing their appreciation of the vision and accompanying pass.
The Gills continued to dictate the pace in the early stages against the London side, the visitors putting together their best early moves down the right flank, without managing to test keeper Jake Turner.
Fulham’s first shot came 32 minutes in but Bradley de Jesus’ free-kick from 20 yards sailed over the bar.
As the half wore on, Fulham’s youngsters gained in confidence, with Farhaan Ali Wahid looking to create an opening with his pace. He won a free-kick that Gills dealt with well and later curled a deflected shot wide.
Gills came close to a second when Max Clark’s ball in from the left was met by Wyllie but he couldn’t get enough on the ball to guide it goalwards.
Wyllie had a better opportunity soon after from Remeao Hutton’s perfectly weighted cross, dropped onto the head of the striker, but his header went straight to the keeper.
Just before the break the Gills had a flurry of half chances. Rowe shot at the keeper, Hutton curled one wide and Dobbs’ header was held comfortably by McNally.
Ainsworth removed senior players Clark, Little and Hutton at the break, with Harry Webster taking over at right-back, Nelson Khumbeni returning from a knock and youth striker Stan Sargent getting a chance to impress after an impressive start for the under-18s, scoring eight goals in four games.
It was Beszant who got Gillingham’s second goal, firing home from inside the box after Wyllie squared the ball into his path.
Fulham had the chance to get a goal back after goalscorer Beszant fouled Chibuzo Nwoko Jr in the box but Loupalo-Bi put the chance wide from the penalty spot.
Gillingham had a third goal on 61 minutes as youth player Louie Dayal announced his arrival from the bench with a cross that Wyllie slotted home from close range, his second goal in as many appearances.
Wyllie almost had another moments later with an audacious back-heeled effort that went just wide.
Gills made it 4-0 after 70 minutes through youth striker Sargent, nipping in to score from a difficult angle after McNally had saved from Dayal.
Akomeah was well placed to get in the way of a late Loupalo-Bi effort, Cirino did well to put off Macauley Zepa and Waldock blocked a Jayden Quashie effort as the Gills looked to keep Fulham out.
Wyllie was denied in the first of eight added-on minutes, sliding onto an excellent ball into the box from Cirino, but keeper McNally got behind it.
Fulham did manage to get a goal, scored in the final minute of stoppage time. Nwoko hit the post from disrance and Loupalo-Bi followed up to find the net.
Gillingham: Turner, Hutton (Webster 46mins), Cirino, Clark (Sargent 46mins), Dobbs, Akomeah, Little (Khumbeni 46mins), Waldock, Beszant, Rowe (Dayal 60mins), Wyllie. Subs not used: Morris, A Smith, Gale.
Fulham: McNally, Gofford, Nsasi, Slade, De Jesus, Nwoko, Quashie, Olyott (Essenga 62mins), Works (Zepa 77mins), Loupalo-Bi, Ali Wahid. Subs not used: Mayer, Wingate, Walters, White, Cooke.
Referee: Carl Brook
Attendance: 962 (48 away)
