Gillingham suffered a narrow 1-0 pre-season defeat to Championship side Charlton Athletic on Tuesday, but manager Gareth Ainsworth was full of praise for his young players who stepped up in the second half. The Gills, who finished 17th in League Two last season with 53 points (13W-14D-19L), fielded nine teenagers in the closing stages as they prepare for the upcoming campaign.
What happened in the match?
Gillingham held their higher-division opponents for an hour before conceding from a corner on 65 minutes. The young side, including rookie goalkeeper Lennon MacLorg and 23-year-old Nelson Khumbeni as the oldest players, showed resilience and created chances despite the loss. Ainsworth's senior side had frustrated Charlton before the wholesale changes.
Why it matters for Gillingham
The match provided valuable experience for Gillingham's academy players, with Ainsworth emphasizing the importance of first-team exposure. "It's a great lesson for some of those young boys to go, 'Right, this is what it takes to play in League 2,'" he said. The Gills are on a two-game winning run in their last five matches (2W-0D-3L), including a 1-0 victory over Shrewsbury on May 2, 2026.
What comes next?
Ainsworth highlighted the need for his young players to adapt to League Two's demands, noting they faced Championship-quality opponents. "You're playing as a Championship side in pre-season, so they're probably not at full tilt, but this is what it takes," he added. The Gills, who scored 53 goals and conceded 72 last season (-19 goal difference), will continue their pre-season preparations with a focus on fitness and system implementation.
