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Borough progressed to the next round of the League Cup, but not before the much improved Gillingham side posed some problems for the home defence.

Returning from injury, Scott Smith delivered the perfect start after only 3 minutes, finding the goal after latching onto a defensive clearance and lifting the ball over the advancing back line and keeper.

Further early Poole pressure did not increase the score, Ben Thompson shot against the side netting after a trademark run into the box and Winston Buckfield saw his header from a corner cleared off the line.

On 11 minutes Gillingham equalised when Borough's defence failed to clear, leaving Andrew Shakleton to pick up the loose ball and steer it past Dan Burton.

Borough created further chances for Dave Holdroyd, Smith and Ricky Burnside but all three shots went past the post, as did an attempt on goal at the other end. However, with 26 minutes gone Ben Thompson made no mistake when he received the ball 20 yards out sublimely lobbed it over the keepers head and into the net.

The half continued with the home side on top, but Gillingham continued to press and on 38 minutes Burton had to tip a free kick over the bar. On minute later the visitors drew level again when Richie Bryant beat the offside trap, took the ball past Burton and tucked it home.

Once again Borough had chances to go ahead, the best when a corner was met with a Burnside bullet header which came off a defender and the bar and a shot on the rebound by Smith was also cleared off the line.

HT 2-2

Gillingham had the first chance following the break, when they again got clear of the home defence, but Burton did well to delay the shot long enough to allow his colleagues to recover and clear the ball.

Both Holdroyd and Ron Denty had headers which went narrowly wide and Alan Fooks set up Smith after drawing the keeper, but a defender just go in to clear the resulting shot.

With 1/4 hour left Dan Cockwell came on and made an immediate impression as he got past his defender on the right and sent over a perfect cross which Fooks met with a header past the keeper to chalk up his 30th and Borough's 100th goal of the season.

Further goalscoring opportunities were created by Borough, but the normally lethal strike force were unable to convert them, although Fooks did have a goal disallowed. At the other end Gillingham created only a single chance, when Burton had to touch a free kick over the bar, but with the referee playing 10 minutes of injury time, it was still a relief for the home supporters to hear the final whistle.

Poole Borough : Dan Burton, Ben Thompson , Ron Denty, Paul Morrell, Ricky Burnside, Dave Holdroyd, Alex Gunn (Dan Cockwell 74), Winston Buckfield, Scott Smith, Alan Fooks, James Russell. Unused subs: Chris Morgan, Paul Gatly, Ross Gulliver