Curtis Weston goes round Norwich keeper Fraser Forster

Gillingham 0 Norwich 1

by Luke Cawdell

Gillingham were knocked out of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy by fellow League 1 side Norwich on Tuesday night.

Cody McDonald put the visitors ahead on 66 minutes and it was enough for Norwich to progress to the quarter-finals.

Gillingham were left to ask questions of referee Steve Cook after two big decisions went against them at Priestfield.

In first half injury-time Adam Miller was bundled off the ball and late in the second half Curtis Weston was adjudged to be offside with the goal at his mercy.

Gary Doherty’s first half shove on Miller, just as he prepared to shoot, looked like a clear-cut penalty but nothing was given. The decision against Weston was also highly controversial.

They were opportunities the Gills needed as Norwich were on top for much of the game.

Manager Mark Stimson was disappointed to be heading out of the Trophy and frustrated that decisions went against his team.

“I’m very disappointed,” he said. “At the end of it you go to Wembley and you don’t get many times in your career to do that, so we took it seriously, but it wasn’t to be on the night.

“I thought possibly one decision that the linesman got wrong was when Curtis Weston flicked the ball over a defender’s head, got the others side and was in on goal and he gave him offside. I think Andy Barcham was around the area and that’s why the linesman gave him offside. That decision didn’t go with us.

“The penalty decision was a big call and the referee was probably looking for a bit of help from his linesman. I said to Adam, ‘why did you go’ and he said he got a shove. The fourth official said to me there was minimal contact. Some you get some you don’t and hopefully we get them when we really need them in the league.”

Gillingham started the game brightly but the best early chances fell to the visitors, with striker Chris Martin sending a rasping drive narrowly over and Tom Adeyemi coming even closer, sending a low shot rolling across the face of Alan Julian’s goal.

Julian was one of six new faces in the Gillingham team as manager Mark Stimson made a number of changes for the match.

Gillingham’s best opportunity of the first half came on 39 minutes when Weston found Luke Rooney but the youngster’s effort was deflected wide.

Just a minute later Norwich came even closer, with the night’s first shot on target, but Julian was there to make a good save with his feet from Adeyemi’s low shot.

Norwich again had a chance and were wasteful as Stephen Hughes’ cut-back was missed by Jamie Cureton and Chris Martin only had to find the target to score but blasted the shot wide.

Rooney’s ball through to Miller put him in the clear in first half injury time but he was shoved aside by Doherty and keeper Fraser Forster was able to pick up the ball.

Just before the break Martin again missed a good chance, this time heading Paul McVeigh’s free-kick over the bar.

Norwich remained threatening in the second half and Cureton’s lob went narrowly over Julian’s bar after beating the off-side trap.

A quieter second-half was finally livened up on 66 minutes when McDonald picked up the ball inside the area, turned Richards and smashed the ball home.

Stuart Lewis made a welcome return back into the fold and he made a second half appearance. It could have been a scoring return but his shot was blocked by en-route to goal by Barcham.

With 79 minutes on the clock the Gills were again denied by the referee as he signalled for offside when Weston was put in the clear by Miller. He had rounded the keeper and needed only to tap the ball in but the flag was already up.

Moments later Miller hit a thumping effort narrowly wide from distance as time began to run out and Weston also dragged a good effort wide as the Gills finished strongly, but were unable to get the all-important goal.

Gills: Julian, Nutter, Richards, Bentley, Palmer, Barcham, Miller (Erskine 83mins), Weston, Rooney, Payne (Lewis 64mins), McCammon (Yussuff 64mins). Subs not used: Maher, Wynter.

Norwich: Forster, Francomb, Askou, Hughes, Doherty (Stephens 70mins), Adeyemi, McVeigh (Dawkin 78mins), Wiggins, Daley, Martin (McDonald 62mins), Cureton. Sub not used: Kelly.

Attendance: 2,814