GILLINGHAM 2 BRACKLEY TOWN 2

KEVIN WILKIN rued a lack of concentration after his Brackley Town side failed to hold on to their two-goal advantage and knock League One side Gillingham out of the FA Cup.

Alex Gudger’s header and James Armson’s thunderbolt put Brackley fans in dreamland but Frank Nouble got one back for the hosts one minute later.

And the former West Ham United striker fired in his second just before the break, forcing a frustrated Wilkin to ponder a replay.

“There is disappointment in there to get yourself two up and not close the game out,” Wilkin said. “At 1-0 we had two or three really good chances that can put the game to bed really and we haven’t taken them.

“Just a little lack of concentration, but credit to Gillingham they’re having a tough season and they battled manfully there- it makes for an interesting replay.”

Gillingham have not kept a clean sheet in 28 attempts and fell behind early when Gudger nodded in Glenn Walker’s in-swinging corner.

Armson’s 25-yard cracker doubled their lead, but Jay Emmanuel-Thomas set up Nouble for a tap in to rejuvenate a Gillingham side staring down the barrel of another defeat and another early FA Cup exit – having not reached round two since 2012.

And the duo combined again to save Gillingham’s blushes as Emmanuel-Thomas drove a low cross into the box and Nouble tapped it in,.

“I stood there and for one minute I thought we were out of the game,” admitted a relieved Gills boss Justin Edinburgh. “People will probably raise their eyebrows and everything, but regardless of the opposition the players showed character and dug in.”