Gillingham 1 Sunderland AFC 0 RECAP: Black Cats knocked out of FA Cup in first round

Phil Parkinson’s Sunderland squad has been hit by injury in the lead up to the game with Jordan Willis and Joel Lynch both out as is George Dobson.

Charlie Wyke and Lynden Gooch remain out while Elliot Embleton is a long-term absentee with a hamstring injury.

Parkinson has been in charge for eight games, four of those in cup competitions and he will be looking to get back to winning ways tonight after a disappointing exit from the Leasing.com Trophy last week.

Richard Mennear and Mark Donnelly are in place at the Priestfield Stadium and will be bringing you live action throughout the night.

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John Potter departs Sunderland for Hibs:

Sunderland have confirmed John Potter’s departure.

The first team coach has left Wearside and will join up with Jack Ross at Hibernian.

Ross, sacked by Sunderland in October, was appointed Hibs boss on Friday and it was widely expected he would look to bring Potter in as his assistant.

A club statement said: “Potter departs with the best wishes of everyone at Sunderland AFC and the club thanks him for his service over the last eighteen months.”

Weather update:

It’s freezing! Pitch looks good though.

Kick-off is 7.45pm here tonight. The team news will be coming up shortly, with Sunderland expected to make several changes given the injury situation with Willis, Lynch and Dobson all out injured.

Not sure yet how many away fans have made the trip, it was cash only turnstiles on the night given it took a while to reschedule the match.

We’ll have team news shortly.

Sunderland squad has arrived:

Phil Parkinson was first out on to the pitch at Priestfield Stadium, closely followed by the Sunderland squad.

Max Power, Leadbitter, McGeouch all among the travelling party along with Watmore and Grigg.

No sign of Marc McNulty yet.

Kimpioka and the two McLaughlin’s are away on international duty this evening.

Sunderland have several youngsters in the squad, with Taylor, Bainbridge, Mumba and Patterson among the squad.

Sunderland team:

Phil Parkinson has named his starting line-up for the game against Gillingham; Burge, O'Nien, Ozturk, Taylor, De Bock, Hume, Power, Leadbitter, Maguire, Grigg, Watmore.

Subs: Patterson, Mumba, Connelly, McGeady, McGeouch, Bainbridge, Sammut.

Gillingham: Bonham; Tucker, Ehmer, Ogilvie, Fuller; O'Keefe, Jones, Lee, Byrne; Hanlan, Jakubiak.

Former Sunderland striker Mandron misses out through illness.

Referee: Alan Young

Parkinson has named McGeady and McGeouch on the bench tonight, Grigg starts up front with support from Watmore and Maguire.

Looks to be a back five this evening with O’Nien and Hume at wing-back.

Lee Burge continues in goal. Jon McLaughlin away on international duty along with Conor McLaughlin and Benji Kimpioka.

Warm-ups:

Nick Allamby is leading the Sunderland warm-up alongside Jon Parkin here at a bitterly cold Priestfield Stadium.

Sunderland supporters over in the stand opposite the main stand.

Sunderland owner Stewart Donald said last week he was due to make his return to Sunderland games at Gillingham following a short break, the director’s box is just along from us so we’ll let you know if we spot him.

KO is 25 minutes away.

Teams are out...and we’re off!

Sunderland are playing five at the back with Hume and O’Nien wing-backs.

Taylor, Ozturk and De Bock the central three. Sunderland backed by a few hundred away fans this evening over on the far side. Fair play to them for making the journey down midweek! A 600-mile round-trip.

Opening 10 minutes – how have Sunderland started?

Sunderland started well enough, with De Bock getting forward for a Maguire free-kick, his header glanced wide.

Watmore looked to get down the left but he was flagged offside moments later.

At the other end, Gillingham have sent a header over.

Steve Evans wearing some snazzy blue gloves, Parkinson going for the hands in jacket pocket approach this bitterly cold evening.

Still goalless.

15 minutes gone...and Power sends one over the crossbar:

Good play from Sunderland, Maguire to Hume, cross comes in, played back out to Maguire who lays the ball off to Power.

Set up nicely but he fires over. Well over. Has been a fairly uneventful start to proceedings.

Parkinson very vocal on the touchline, encouraging his players on.

Evans is just constantly berating his players.

25 minutes on the clock...Taylor gets encouragement from the Sunderland supporters

The youngster is making his third appearance for the Black Cats tonight after two games in the EFL Trophy in recent seasons.

And he gets a warm reception while taking a throw-in over on the far side.

Hanlan has just sent a header wide from a Byrne cross for the hosts. Aside from that, few chances at either end.

Long way to go but we could have extra-time and penalties if it is level at FT.

35 neither keeper has had much to do

A game of a couple of half chances and that’s about it.

Not the biggest crowd here tonight and not much to cheer so far.

Five minutes to half-time:

Still goalless here, not much to report aside from Hanlan sending a deflected effort wide.

The game is as dull as ditch water but stick with us, it will only take one moment of quality to spark it into life!

In other news, the ball almost made its way into the press box then, a highlight.

BOOKED: Max Ehmer for a foul on Grigg after the striker had turned him

HT: And it’s goalless at the break.

Very little to write home about after that opening 45 minute, a drab, disappointing half devoid of any quality.

Big improvement needed from both sides.

Sunderland need to get Duncan Watmore into the game more. Leadbitter and Power not imposing themselves enough.

Taylor has enjoyed a strong opening half.

50th minute….no changes at the break.

Sunderland fans try and crank up the volume to spark their side into life.

Sunderland didn’t have a shot on target first half, De Bock went wide and Power blasted over, the midfielder saw a cross cause problems but it wasn’t really an effort.

Watmore yet to get at the Gillingham defence.

Booked: De Bock for stopping a free-kick

55th minute and Ozturk makes an important block

The game is threatening to liven up here, Ozturk just made an important block to deny Gillingham.

Crowd wanted a handball. Not given.

Hosts to make a sub, with Ndjoli coming on in a little while.

Sunderland need to get a spark from somewhere here, another game lacking much of a goalthreat.

The away fans again try to rally them.

SUB: Ndjoli comes on and Jakubiak departs in the 59th minute.

63rd minute and Sunderland make a sub:

Watmore has done little and he departs. On comes McGeady for the final 25 minutes.

And then there is a break in play after Taylor and Power clash heads. Both need treatment for some time.

After a few minutes they are okay to get back on with the game.

Momentum is swinging towards the home side. A little over 20 minutes of normal time to go.

Chance! 72 minutes on the clock as Grigg fires wide:

A chance at least! Grigg – who had produced a really poor cross moments earlier, blocked at close range by the defender – then has his first real sight at goal.

He shoots wide. Should have made the keeper work. But an effort at least.

82nd minute and we are heading to extra-time unless we get a goal…

The game seen a marginal improvement but in truth it has been mainly dross on the whole.

Sunderland have lacked any spark in the final third, unable to hold the ball up and build anything and Max Ehmer has had the better of Grigg all night.

Mick Harford was watching the game in front of us but he has since left. He’s seen enough.

The temperature has plummeted here. Will we get a goal?!

Booked: O’Nien for a foul on Ogilvie.

90th minute...we are going to have FOUR minutes of added-on time

This has been pretty desperate tonight. Max Ehmer gets the man of the match award, has kept Will Grigg quiet all night.

Extra-time: Both sides fail to muster a shot on target

You just knew. We go into extra-time. Another 30 minutes to be played.

Neither side managed a shot on target all game. It's freezing.

SUB: Ozturk has gone off, Bainbridge has come on

Penalty shout! Gillingham denied

Ooof. Let-off for Sunderland. Taylor looked to handball in the area but after a long look, referee Alan Yong waves it away. He looked to his linesman but he clearly didn’t see it. Or if he did, he didn’t think it was a penalty.

From here it looked like a penalty.

And then Ehmer hits the woodwork, turned edge of the area and smashed his effort off the crossbar.

Sunderland under pressure.

105: GOOAAAALLLL Gillingham take the lead.

Hanlan with a smart finish past Burge, he was in plenty of space and had time to pick his spot.

It had been coming.

They had hit the woodwork and had a penalty turned down.

Second half of extra-time:

We are back underway here and Sunderland are trailing.

Sub: Dylan McGeouch on, Denver Hume goes off.

Sunderland have 15 minutes to salvage their FA Cup campaign.

Sunderland still have not had a shot on target

Sub: Will Grigg departs with Lee Connelly coming on for the final stages.

Sunderland heading out of their third cup competition in as many weeks here.

FT: Sunderland are OUT of the FA Cup after a 1-0 defeat at Gillingham after extra-time.

Drab. Sunderland failed to manage a single shot on target.