Gillingham won through to the final of the Kent Senior Cup after beating Margate on penalties.

The match finished 1-1 after 90 minutes as Freddie Ladapo’s opener for the visitors was cancelled out by Danny Galbraith.

League 1 Gillingham converted all six of their penalties with Ryan James the unfortunate man to miss for Margate.

The Gills will meet Ramsgate or Charlton in the final.

Gillingham, who beat Tonbridge Angels and Dartford in earlier rounds, again included first team players in their side.

The biggest surprise was seeing Jermaine McGlashan named in Gills’ starting XI, in a team that also included Leon Legge, Danny Galbraith and Brennan Dickenson.

Gills’ first team boss Justin Edinburgh decided against playing fringe striker Luke Norris.

Margate beat Folkestone in the previous round and they were keen on a morale booster following a 3-0 home defeat to Enfield Town at the weekend. They had plenty of chances on Monday night.

Devante McKain’s 10 minute shot for Gillingham was saved and his night ended early, making way for striker Greg Cundle, after picking up a knock.

Margate had several early opportunities before they took the lead through a powerful Ladapo effort on 37 minutes.

The Ryman League side held the lead until the break but just two minutes after the restart the Gills were level. Danny Galbraith was the man to equalise, sending a shot flying past keeper Nikki Bull from 25 yards.

Gills keeper Glenn Morris did well to keep out a header from Tom Phipp while Lapado put a shot just wide after the hour mark.

Lewis Taylor shot narrowly wide with a minute left and the tie reached full-time level at 1-1. With no extra-time, it needed a penalty shoot-out to separate the sides.

Both teams scored their first five penalties, to send the match to sudden death but James fired the crucial spot-kick over the bar after Charlie Webster had converted for Gills, who won it 6-5.

Gillingham: G Morris, Romeo, Emptage, M Dickenson, Legge, Blanchard, McKain (Cundle 31mins), Galbraith, B Dickenson, Webster, McGlashan. Subs not used: Haigh, Bent, Thompson, Hendricks.

Margate: Margate: Bull, Eyong, Rents, Gerring, Wassmer, Johnson, L Taylor, Phipp (Attwood 66mins), J Taylor, Ladapo, James. Subs not used: Wills, Riviere, Moss, Armstrong-Ford.