Gillingham’s trip to high-flying Cambridge United only added to their woes after they were thrashed again.
It was their former manager Neil Harris’ current side who this time proved too good for a Gills team lacking at both ends of the pitch. Dom Ball and Louis Appere scored first-half goals for a dominant Cambridge United. Sullay Kaikai added a quickfire double shortly after the restart and Shayne Lavery made it 5-0.
Prior to the match, the Gills chairman had urged patience from fans, while the official supporters’ club had pleaded for less abuse from the stands.
Gillingham left the field to jeers after the midweek thrashing against MK Dons at Priestfield, but were cheered off after the warm-ups at the Abbey Stadium. The Gills had sold out their away allocation for this match but it proved to be another tough watch for those loyal supporters.
Gills boss Gareth Ainsworth welcomed some experienced players back to his squad but turned to youth when picking his starting XI.
Bradley Dack, Armani Little and Omar Beckles returned from injury to make the bench but Ainsworth chose to hand 19-year-old Harry Waldock his first league appearance, the midfielder starting from the off against Neil Harris’ Cambridge United.
There was another change between the sticks as Jake Turner was dropped to the bench in favour of Glenn Morris. Turner’s latest stint had lasted three games.
The Gills were looking to bounce back from a 5-1 home loss against MK Dons, but visiting a Cambridge side who had only lost one of their previous 21 games was another tough ask for a struggling Gillingham side.
Expectations were low for the Gills and they were a goal down after just two minutes.
Dom Ball scored for Cambridge after the Gills failed to deal with a free-kick. Nobody took responsibility in a crowded area to make the clearance, and the home player pounced.
Moments later, Louis Appere was played in on goal, one on one with the Gills keeper, and Morris saved.
The returning Gillingham stopper was kept busy. He saved from James Brophy and the same player had an effort cleared off the line by Lenni Cirino.
Cambridge had a second on 36 minutes following a flurry of corners and they made one count to double their lead.
Sullay Kaikai’s corner was cleared to Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu and his effort at goal got a touch from Appere to take it past Morris.
Gillingham’s only shot of the half hit the top of the home stand behind the goal. The stats were bad and the scoreline could have been worse.
Ainsworth took off midfielder Nelson Khumbeni at the interval as Sam Vokes was introduced for the second 45. There was also a change of formation as Gills went from wing-backs to 4-3-3, with Max Clark moving to the middle of the park.
Within five minutes of the restart Cambridge had a third. Cirino lost the ball to Ben Knight, who ran in on goal, and when the ball was cleared from danger, it only went as far as Kaikai and he squeezed in an angled shot through Morris’ grasp.
Kaikai had another four minutes later, this time attacking down the left, getting to the ball before Morris to poke in Cambridge’s fourth.
Gillingham fans had been patient up until that point but it could only last for so long.
Cambridge came close to a fifth from a long throw, won with a free header in the middle of the box and stabbed wide at the far post.
The Gills continued to struggle, without testing the home keeper all afternoon. Substitute Bradley Dack put a free-kick over the bar with 10 minutes left and Ronan Hale also fired over.
Cambridge added a fifth in stoppage time when Knight played in Lavery and he slotted the ball past Morris.
Gillingham: Morris, Akomeah, Smith, Clark, Cirino (Beckles 61mins), Rowe (McCleary 76mins), J Williams (Little 61mins), Waldock, Khumbeni (Vokes 46mins), Palmer-Houlden (Dack 61mins), Hale. Subs not used: Turner, Hutton.
Cambridge: Eastwood, Bennett, Ball (Kouassi 79mins), Watts, Brophy (Purrington 66mins) , Appere (Lavery 66mins), Kaikai (Smith 66mins), Knight, Mpanzu, Jobe, Gibbons (Raggett 72mins). Subs not used: Hughes, McConnell.
Referee: Michael Barlow
Attendance: 7,490 (1,044 away)
