Maidstone United 2 Gillingham 0: Kent Senior Cup match reaction from youth manager Mark Moss

Gillingham’s didn’t get the result they wanted at Maidstone in the Kent Senior Cup but the experience was invaluable.

A youthful Gills team were beaten 2-0 in the second round match at the Gallagher Stadium.

Report: Maidstone 2-0 Gillingham

Interim first-team boss Keith Millen and under-18 manager Mark Moss were on the touchline for the match but no senior players were risked, with a big League 2 fixture against Notts County coming up.

It was left to Gills’ young pros and youth scholars to take on the National South side and it was a great challenge.

“We competed well,” said youth boss Moss.

“It was a young group and a big occasion for some of them and a big crowd.

“We were good between both boxes at times, I thought we passed the ball well, under a lot of press, but when you come to these places if you don’t take your chances, we had chances in the first half that we didn’t take, they took theirs and fair play to them.

“They were good, they were really intense, they put us under a lot of pressure.

“Maidstone picked a strong team and we knew they would, George (Elokobi) has got them playing really well and fair play to them, our boys will learn, take the experience and they will be better for it.

“The experience the lads have had will definitely put them in good stead.”

The Gills were backed by 500 fans at the Gallagher Stadium in what was a tremendous atmosphere for a county cup competition, but Maidstone’s National South side proved too strong.

A penalty from Devonte Aransibia and Sol Wanjau-Smith’s effort won it for the Stones, with the Gills failing to make the most of any decent chances they created.

Moss said: “We had a lot of second year scholars and a first year scholar out there as well, it’s a really good