Gillingham manager Gareth Ainsworth admitted there were lessons learned for both teams in Tuesday night’s seven-goal EFL Trophy match.
Brighton conceded the opening goal with a bizarre penalty that was completely avoidable and Ainsworth admitted his own team should have been even more ruthless.
Gillingham manager Gareth Ainsworth watched his side beat Brighton under-21s 4-3 on Tuesday night Picture: Barry Goodwin
Report: Gillingham 4 Brighton 3
From 4-0 up, the Gills conceded three as the Jersey Mike’s Trophy match ended 4-3.
Ainsworth said: “We’ve got to hold our hands up to Brighton and say, ‘Well done, you got yourselves back in the game’, and obviously we needed the four goals we scored.
“It’s probably a lesson to go: ‘When your chances are there, make sure you take them’. Even though you've got four, go and get five, go and get six. I thought we could have got five or six.
“We were pretty dominant in the first half; we were creating a lot of chances. It goes to show that you need all your chances and you need to stick them in when they come.
“The positives for me were that we scored some great goals from close range and were very League Two-ish. The goals we conceded were worldies. There was a couple in there that you think, ‘Wow, they're unbelievable goals’, and there are some kids in the Brighton team with some big futures ahead of them.
“There were no tap-ins [conceded]; there was nothing flashing across our goal that we felt in danger with, and that's more League Two-ish. That's what I'm working on, and that's what I was pleased to see.
“We sort of lost control a little bit towards the end, but I had about seven youngsters on the pitch at that time, rather than the five or six I started with.
“People look at us now and go, Louie Dayal, Michael Luxton, Sully Booth, these are first-teamers. It's great for people to look at them like that, but they're truly not. They're probably younger than some of the Brighton boys. So, just let's put things in perspective.
“All in all, a win's a win. Seven goals and some nice names on the scoresheet.”
Tom Eaves celebrates scoring from the penalty shot Picture: Barry Goodwin
Tom Eaves smashed home the opener on 32 minutes from the penalty spot after the eagle-eyed officials spotted a handball offence.
Brighton had a goal-kick, but when goalkeeper Steven Hall passed to a defender to take it, he handled the ball. That first pass meant the ball was already in play and referee Richard Eley correctly awarded a penalty.
Ainsworth said: “The penalty helped us, which was bizarre. But the referees have made us all aware of that at the start of the season, that that's what will happen. It used to be an indirect free-kick and now it’s a penalty.
“We're not going to look a gift horse in the mouth there. We're going to take that and thank you. We needed it in the end.
“I went to the fourth official and said, ‘That’s a bit crazy, isn't it?’ I felt for Brighton’s bench, but the winner in me is also going, ‘God, we might go 1-0 up here’ as well.
“It's a learning curve and these games were brought in by the Premier League for these under-21s teams to play in this competition, to learn and to experience and they've had a hell of an experience with that moment, the keeper and the centre half.
“Will say that Brighton definitely gave us problems. They were very exciting, very good on the ball, movement was great, but I'm glad we won.”
Ainsworth played many of his recognised league starters in the win - showing how determined he is to keep alive their chances of making it to the knockout stages.
The top two placed sides in the group of four will be decided in the final round of matches next month.
Ainsworth said: “We've got a big squad now and for one reason or another, I've had to sign a few more players than I wanted to because of injuries, because of a couple of players picking up too many knocks and not being strong enough.
Gareth Ainsworth included ever-present first-team player James Brophy from the start on Tuesday night Picture: Barry Goodwin
“We've gone that way, but these players are going to need games. I can't just be taking my 18 and there's probably another 14 that aren't playing.
“Being in this competition and having games is going to be really important because we got to the semi-final once at Wycombe and almost made the final. Coventry beat us and got to Wembley.
“I think once you get to the knockout stages, you can start thinking of how many games until we actually do get somewhere.
“Cambridge came to us and turned out a real strong team, almost their first team. They're definitely taking it seriously and we intend to as well.”