Gillingham 4-1 Carlisle United: Blues thrashed in opener

Jon Mellish's second-half goal proved slim consolation as the hosts punished United with strikes from Tim Dieng, Jacob Wakeling, Jack Nolan and Jonny Williams.

It proved a bruising start to life back in League Two in front of 533 travelling fans in Kent.

Dieng shot the hosts in front after just two minutes and, after plenty of Blues pressure and chances in the remainder of the first half, Wakeling pounced on a mistake to make it 2-0 early in the second half.

Mellish, pushed from defence into midfield, pulled one back just after the hour mark.

But Carlisle came apart again in the last 15 minutes, Nolan slamming home a third for the Gills before sub Williams rifled a fourth late on.

It extended Carlisle's wait since 1994 for an away win against Gillingham as their 2024/25 campaign got off to a bad start.

Debutant Ben Williams, right, takes on Jack Nolan (Image: Richard Parkes)

Simpson handed an immediate debut to Ben Williams, the defender's move on a short-term deal confirmed in the build-up to the game, and the ex-Barnsley and Cheltenham Town man starting on the left after what the Blues boss described as an injury "niggle" to wing-back Cameron Harper, with Taylor Charters also sidelined with a hamstring problem.

Ben Barclay was also in the XI in a midfield role, while there were Carlisle debuts for Archie Davies, Terell Thomas and Dan Adu-Adjei, who was preferred to Luke Armstrong up front, while Aaron Hayden and captain Charlie Wyke made their first competitive appearances of their second spell.

Gillingham's XI named by new manager Mark Bonner included summer signings Nolan, Wakeling and Armani Little while others, such as Elliott Nevitt, missed out with injury.

Watched by United's owners, the Piatak family, the Blues started on the back foot with Davies on hand to make a timely challenge inside the opening seconds.

• Gillingham 4-1 Carlisle United - as it happened

But then Gillingham struck when a cross from the right saw Lewis try to claim but he couldn't hold on under pressure - Aaron Rowe's first shot was blocked but then it broke to Dieng, who drove it low into the net.

Carlisle's response showed good energy, with Williams a good outlet on the left, the new signing also coming close to setting up an early leveller when his inswinging free-kick just eluded Hayden and Jon Mellish.

Another break saw Josh Vela run onto Wyke's flick but his shot was too high.

Jacob Wakeling, left, scores Gillingham's second (Image: Richard Parkes)

Carlisle continued to press well, the offside flag denying Williams the chance to set up Adu-Adjei, while Harrison Neal was next to have a shot blocked with Barclay then curling one over the bar and Hayden shooting too high.

Gillingham were left to counter-attack in the face of United's persistent pressure, Rowe denied by Thomas from the edge of the box and Remeao Hutton testing Lewis from distance.

But Carlisle remained on the front foot as Davies met a Williams cross but sent his diving header wide, then Mellish broke forward and had a 25-yard drive saved.

Wyke then had a chance when supplied by Vela on the break, but his low finish from the left went past the post.

United then thought they should have had a penalty when Vela gave chase and went down under Ehmer's challenge, but ref Ben Atkinson waved away their appeals.

Moments later a cross reached Wyke in the box and a leveller looked certain but, after controlling, the captain fired against the crossbar.

Charlie Wyke hits the bar (Image: Richard Parkes)

Somehow the hosts made it to half-time with their lead intact, and Carlisle's task was to maintain their pressure in the second half as they looked for a way back.

But a habit of recent pre-season games then flared up in this league opener as they conceded early in the second half.

The Blues gave the ball away in their own half through Thomas's poor pass for Barclay - and Gillingham pounced, Wakeling racing clear and, as Mellish gave chase, the striker slotting it low past Lewis.

It was another highly avoidable goal and it left United with plenty to do, as Jonny Williams replaced the injured Dieng for the hosts.

Later, after Thomas had failed to divert a Davies corner on target and Hayden had tested Turner from a Barclay long throw, Simpson made his first change, Dan Butterworth taking the place of Barclay.

The sub took up a position on the left, with Mellish now in midfield as Carlisle reverted to a back four.

And it was Mellish who fired United back into the game in the 65th minute.

First, Thomas found Williams on the left and when Gillingham struggled to clear his low cross, Mellish arrived to force a shot low into the bottom right corner.

Carlisle then survived an immediate scare when Ehmer was unmarked but fired over.

Butterworth went close with a free-kick before home boss Bonner made a double change in a bid to keep the United fightback at bay.

Jon Mellish pulls one back for United (Image: Richard Parkes)

Carlisle survived a Gillingham break when Conor Masterson ignored Jack Nolan in space as the hosts broke through the middle, United getting back to intercept the attack.

But they could do nothing about the hosts' next foray as sub Jonny Williams popped up to work the ball right, then Nolan hurdled a Ben Williams slide before cutting in to the box and rifling high past Lewis.

Simpson then replaced debutant Williams with Jack Ellis for the closing stages, with Carlisle's hopes of a fightback now looking forlorn.

Nolan was twice denied as the hosts looked to put things beyond any lingering doubt, with Robbie McKenzie seeing a volley blocked seven minutes from time.

A goalline block from sub Ellis denied Nolan what looked a certain home fourth - but their next goal then did arrive on 87 minutes when the ball broke outside the box following a free-kick, and Williams got there first to rifle it low past Lewis.

Simpson sent on Georgie Kelly and Luke Armstrong for the dying minutes but the hosts closed out their emphatic victory with little difficulty.

Gillingham: Turner, Hutton, Masterson (Ogie 79), Ehmer, Clark, McKenzie, Dieng (J Williams 50), Little, Rowe (Clarke 70), Nolan, Wakeling (Gbode 70). Not used: Morris, Hawkins, E Williams.

Goals: Dieng 2, Wakeling 47, Nolan 76, J Williams 87.

Booked: Rowe, Wakeling, Turner.

United: Lewis, Hayden, Thomas, Mellish, Barclay (Butterworth 61), Davies, B Williams (Ellis 78), Neal, Vela, Wyke (Kelly 88), Adu-Adjei (Armstrong 88). Not used: Breeze, Lavelle, Allan.

Goal: Mellish 65.

Ref: Ben Atkinson.

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