Gillingham 0 Walsall 3 match report: Late goals from Isaac Moore, James Connolly and Aaron Pressley seal win at Priestfield in League 2

Gillingham hit the woodwork three times before losing to three late goals in their League 2 opener on Saturday.

The Gills were the better team for long periods against Walsall but substitute Isaac Moore, James Connolly and Aaron Pressley scored in the last nine minutes.

For the second successive Saturday, the Gills revealed an emergency loan goalkeeper. With Owen Mason sold by Mansfield to Bromley and Ollie Wright deemed still not fit enough, Gillingham signed Ashley Maynard-Brewer on loan from Sheffield Wednesday.

The 27-year-old is no stranger to Priestfield after a loan spell from Charlton at the start of the 2022/23 season, although he never made a league appearance then after dislocating his shoulder at Dover in pre-season.

The other promised news before kick-off saw Liam Gordon named captain as he made his debut after missing out last week against Luton through suspension.

The pair were two of four changes made by Gills boss Gareth Ainsworth with another returning face, Armani Little, prominent in what was a promising opening half-hour.

After two early corners, Little’s fourth-minute cross found Will Goodwin at full stretch but he was unable to get enough contact at the far post to poke his effort beyond keeper Jed Ward.

Goodwin’s header lacked power five minutes later and Walsall right-back Elicha Ahui picked up an early caution for dissent.

Gillingham were vulnerable to the ball behind their defence last weekend and Walsall nearly exposed them after 14 minutes when Mason Hancock played Andrew Dallas through behind Andy Smith. However, Maynard-Brewer was out quickly to thwart the danger and Nick Freeman completed the clearance.

Walsall skipper Connolly was their biggest danger, forcing a comfortable save from Maynard-Brewer from a deep corner and then shooting over from the edge of the box after showing good footwork.

Gillingham were dealt a double injury blow with Little and Gordon both replaced in the space of six minutes, Robbie McKenzie and Logan Dobbs coming off the bench. It also meant Gills had used two of their three permitted substitute windows.

Smith was booked for a foul on 43 minutes but it was Gills who finished the half strongly as they twice hit the crossbar in the six minutes of added time.

Ronan Hale forced keeper Ward into a flying save as he pushed his 30-yard shot behind for a corner after James Brophy won the ball in midfield.

Goodwin’s volleyed cross then hit the bar before an even better opening saw Hale feed Brophy and his 20-yard left-foot shot hit the crossbar and went over.

Walsall started the second half brightly. Kadeem Harris collected an early booking for pulling back substitute Roman Dixon and Reece Smith shot over the bar after cutting in from the left wing.

Gills responded on 55 minutes. Hale forced another save from Ward after Goodwin’s initial effort went horribly wrong with the Walsall keeper initially caught in no man’s land from a long free-kick forward.

McKenzie was then booked for stopping a quick free-kick although referee Emily Heaslip let Ahiu away without punishment for the same offence in the first half when he had already been cautioned.

Gills had a great chance to go ahead when a long McKenzie throw-in found its way to Goodwin, who turned the ball wide at the far post.

Walsall went down the other end and Dallas was inches away from turning in Reece Smith’s cross before Aaron Pressley was denied by some excellent Gills defending.

Goodwin and Brophy then sent Hale clear. The striker cut inside the last defender before his shot was beaten away by Ward. Then another long throw from McKenzie fell to Harris but his shot lacked any power.

All that action came in a four-minute spell, ending with the Gills hitting the woodwork for a third time when Goodwin’s stunning right-foot shot from 20 yards came crashing back off the bar.

Gillingham continued to press and Hale fired a shot wide of the far post before substitute Seb Palmer-Houlden nodded wide from a Brophy centre.

The breakthrough finally came with nine minutes left but it was Walsall who scored against the run of play.

Substitute Taione Sodje led the break and Gills appeared to have got enough bodies back. But the ball was played into the box and Pressley nodded down for Isaac Moore to turn home.

Walsall should have added a second three minutes later but Reece Smith turned the ball wide from Moore’s cross along the six-yard box. Maynard-Brewer then made a good save to deny Courtney Clarke at his near post.

The visitors added a second in the 90th minute when Connolly scored from close range after an initial shot was blocked and further pain for the home side came in the last of six added minutes when Pressley found the target to make it 3-0.

Gillingham: Maynard-Brewer, Freeman, Gordon (Dobbs 37mins), Smith, Beckles, Harris (McCleary 72mins), Little (McKenzie 31mins), Albarus, Brophy, Goodwin (Palmer-Houlden 72mins), Hale. Subs not used: Holtam, McManus, Antwi.

Walsall: Ward, Hancock (Burke 74mins), Connolly, Sprangler, Crew (Moore 60mins), Dallas (Sodje 67mins), Simper (Clarke 60mins), Smith, Pressley, Ahui (Dixon 46mins), Skura. Subs not used: Kilroy, Adomah.

Referee: Emily Heaslip.