FA Cup second round replay: Gillingham 3-2 Dagenham & Redbridge
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FA Cup: Gillingham 3-2 Dagenham & Redbridge
Gillingham's Hakeeb Adelakun hit a 95th-minute FA Cup second-round replay winner as the League Two strugglers finally saw off Dagenham & Redbridge.
It settled a classic tie to book the Gills a third-round home meeting with 2021 winners Leicester City.
The Daggers led through Matt Robinson, before headers from Elkan Baggott and Max Ehmer turned it round.
Dagenham's Harry Phipps was sent off but George Saunders equalised before Scott Kashket set up Adelakun's strike.
Gillingham, second bottom of the fourth tier, were only rescued by Kashket's stoppage-time equaliser in the original tie at Victoria Road 12 days earlier.
But Neil Harris' side, who have managed only two wins and six goals in 20 league fixtures this season, have found scoring easier in the cups - and Adelakun's winner was their 13th in 11 games, more than double their league tally.
The Daggers led on 15 minutes when the Gills failed to clear their lines as Elliott Johnson's left-wing cross was touched back by Josh Walker into the path of Robinson, who powered home a low right-foot shot from 20 yards.
That was dreamland for the Leicester-born Daggers skipper, who was facing the prospect of meeting the 2016 Premier League winners, who lifted the FA Cup at Wembley little more than 18 months ago.
But it took Gillingham just 12 minutes to level from Ben Reeves' superb left-foot inswinging right-wing corner when Indonesian defender Baggott outmuscled and outjumped flat-footed visiting keeper Elliot Justham to powerfully head his third goal in six home games.
Ehmer headed home Alex MacDonald's outswinging right wing corner for his first goal since January on 77 minutes for what looked like the winner.
Hakeeb Adelakun's late winner was the on-loan Lincoln City's man's first goal for Gillingham
And within two minutes, Dagenham were reduced to 10 men when Phipps was given a straight red card for a clumsy high challenge on Lewis Walker.
But the non-league side were not finished and, when Ehmer's weak header back to his goalkeeper Jake Turner fell short - Saunders latched on to the opening and despite being forced wide, slid the ball home from a tight angle.
The game looked set for extra time - and even the prospect of penalties - when substitute Kashket got clear down the left, squared across and Adelakun powered home a fierce left-foot finish.
Who's next?
It leaves the Gills, 23rd in League Two, with the prospect of two meetings with Premier League clubs, starting with Wolves in the League Cup on 20 December before the Leicester game in early January - but first up is Sunday lunchtime's home game with a former Premier League outfit, Bradford City.
Gills appealed fans to stay behind after the game to help get covers on the pitch quickly before the frost set in, in the hope Sunday's match will go ahead.
Daryl McMahon's Dagenham, 12th in National League and four points from the play-off places, are next in action next Tuesday when they host Eastleigh.
Gillingham boss Neil Harris told BBC Radio Kent:
"Cup football is all about getting through to the next round - and now we can look forward to having Leicester live on TV here in January. And the winning goal was worthy of the reward of playing a Premier League side.
"I'm pleased for the supporters. And it should give everyone confidence scoring three goals in a game - but now we need to back it up on Sunday against Bradford.
"We just have to be more consistent. And, once we start doing that, then we will start winning games of football. It's a snowball effect.
"The reason we're so good in the cups is that you can get away with the odd mistake over 90 minutes, but you can't do that in the league."
Dagenham & Redbridge boss Daryl McMahon:
"It's the cruellest, cruellest way to lose a game. But the players gave it everything and you have to give them credit for that.
"I don't want to say the wrong thing right now. We are a bit emotional at the minute with how the game went and how it panned out for us.
"You feel hard done by after all the hard work we put into it.
"We have to pick the bones out of this one and move forward."