Gillingham suffered a stoppage-time FA Cup elimination at the hands of non-league Barrow on Saturday.
Ronan Hale hit the post for the Gills in normal time but it was Barrow who claimed a place in round two through Innes Cameron’s 92nd-minute strike.
The Gills had fallen at the FA Cup first-round stage in the previous two years and once again were out of the competition early on.
Gillingham manager Gareth Ainsworth fielded a strong side, making just two changes to the team which started their league game the previous week.
Robbie McKenzie returned from a slight knock and Jack Daley came into defence for Andy Smith. Conor McManus, Bradley Dack and Tom Eaves were all absent for the cup clash.
It was an entertaining opening half despite neither side managing to make the most of their chances.
Hale fired wide twice for the Gills and Lamin Sillah’s low effort was gathered by visiting keeper Ben Winterbottom.
Robbie McKenzie created a couple of opportunities and had one himself, arguably the best of the half. He was one-on-one with Winterbottom, but the Barrow keeper came out to make a block.
There were big chances at the other end as well.
Barrow failed to make the most of some early set-piece opportunities, but they came close to going in front from Arian Allen’s low cross, which looked a tap-in for Seb Thompson, but Dobbs slid in to put him off.
Allen fired into the side netting for Barrow and just before half-time forced Wright into a save.
The start of the second half was more low-key and the Gills lost Harry Waldock to injury with about an hour gone.
Allen fired well over the bar for Barrow and, with 15 minutes left, Hale almost had the breakthrough: a turn inside the box and a shot that hit the post, leaving the away keeper scrambling to keep it from bouncing over the line.
Moments later, and it needed a sliding block from Dobbs to deny Thompson, after he took aim from 20 yards out.
Sheldon Kendall was denied by the keeper with five minutes left after a short corner worked its way out to him on the edge of the box.
Corey Edwards went down in the area looking for a penalty, as Barrow applied some late pressure, but referee Harry Wager wasn’t interested.
Cameron had forced Wright into a brilliant save that led to a corner and he was celebrating a goal seconds later.
With two of the six added-on minutes played Daniel Mooney fired the ball into the box and Cameron’s flick took it past Wright.
Gillingham: Wright, Beckles, Daley, Dobbs, Freeman, Brophy, Coleman, McKenzie (Little 79mins), Waldock (McCleary 59mins), Hale, Sillah (Kendall 79mins). Subs not used: Luthra, Smith, Albarus, Luxton, Booth, Dayal.
Barrow: Winterbottom, Oakley, Edwards, Thompson (Mooney 84mins), Allen (Lane 84mins), Otegbayo (Amos 55mins), Kalambayi, Harper (Cameron 55mins), Marriott (Ward 84mins), Benjamin, Latty-Fairweather. Subs not used: Cooper, Reid, Walker, Kouyate.
Referee: Harry Wager
Attendance: 4,125 (187 away)
