Gills 365 · https://gills365.news/matchday/gillingham-1-4-cambridge-united-gills-second-string-get-valuable-minutes-but-get-beat-in-efl-trophy-opener-145948
Gillingham 1-4 Cambridge United: Gills' second string get valuable minutes, but get beat in EFL Trophy opener
22.09.26, 23:00 Updated 24.09.26, 02:12
Simon Head
Gillingham's EFL Trophy campaign got underway with a 4-1 home defeat to League One Cambridge United at Priestfield.
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.
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Simon Head is the founding editor of Gills 365. A veteran sports journalist and editor with more than 25 years in the industry, he has written for major news outlets, broadcasters and sports organisations around the world. Simon is a longtime Gillingham season ticket holder, and has been a regular at Priestfield since the mid-1990s.