Gillingham 1, Aston Villa 2: Bill Howell's big match verdict
Birthday boy James Milner grabbed both goals as Aston Villa reached the fourth round of the FA Cup for only the second time in eight seasons - but they were given a scare by Gillingham.
Milner netted the winner from the penalty spot 13 minutes from time after Adam Miller was adjudged to have fouled Ashley Young in the box.
Until then, it had looked like the Gills would earn a deserved - and lucrative - replay after Simeon Jackson blasted in his 12th of the season to cancel out Milner’s well-taken opener.
Martin O’Neill sent out a message of intent that his Champions League chasing side are taking the FA Cup seriously by making just three changes from the side that beat Hull.
Luke Young, Gareth Barry and Gabriel Agbonlahor sat out but the Villa side was still full of quality.
The Gills were forced to play midfielders Stuart Lewis and Mark Bentley in unfamiliar defensive roles due to bans to Barry Fuller and Garry Richards, but were able to welcome back Andy Barcham after he completed a permanent move to Priestfield from Spurs on Friday.
The home side started well but were stunned in the 13th minute when Milner netted.
The winger - who had not scored for Villa since a brace in the 8-3 Carling Cup win over Wycombe three years ago - took advantage of some hesitation from Miller to dispossess the Gills captain 25 yards from goal.
He played a neat one-two with Stiliyan Petrov and curled a fine strike past Simon Royce from the edge of the area.
Gillingham manager Mark Stimson had admitted he feared a thrashing before the game, but any fears that the Gills would cave in were soon forgotten as they dominated the rest of the first half.
The closest they came to a leveller though was an effort from Dennis Oli when his shot from Mulligan’s pull back went into the side netting.
The Gills appealed for a penalty when Nigel Reo-Coker brought down Oli right on the edge of the box, but referee Keith Stroud gave just a free-kick - and a yellow card for the stand-in Villa skipper.
Jackson headed just wide after Mulligan had flicked on a John Nutter free-kick.
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