Gillingham 1-4 Cambridge United: Gills' second string get valuable minutes, but get beat in EFL Trophy opener

Louie Dayal netted a superb strike for the Gills after 31 minutes to equalise Zak Bradshaw's 24th-minute strike, but further strikes from Pelly Mpanzu, Louis Appéré and a spot-kick from Isaac Heath gave the visitors a dominant victory.

The two starting XIs highlighted the difference in approach taken by the two managers. While Cambridge's Neil Harris fielded a strong Cambridge lineup, Gillingham boss Gareth Ainsworth used the match to give fringe players and senior pros returning from injury the chance to get valuable minutes into their legs.

And with the Gills side looking less cohesive and sharp as an unit, Cambridge's strength and creativity proved to be too much to handle as they ran out easy winners.

The key pluses for Ainsworth included 45 minutes from returning first-teamers Ethan Coleman, Bradley Dack and Will Goodwin, while Cam Antwi played for 74 minutes.

Additionally, Sheldon Kendall got a start and played all the way up to the 88th minute, while fellow youngsters Tait Holtam, Jack Daley, Michael Luxton, Harry Webster and goalscorer Dayal all played the full 90 minutes.

Ainsworth used the game to bring a number of key players up to speed, while also giving some of his younger players some valuable game time. But it came at the expense of the match, as they lost out.

It means Gillingham sit third in Southern Group G, level on goal difference with Northampton, but ahead on goals scored, with Cambridge and Brighton & Hove Albion U21s currently toppping the table on three points each.