Bradley Dack stunner helps Gills to claim third straight pre-season win
Gillingham continued to impress during pre-season with a 2-1 victory over Bromley at Hayes Lane on Tuesday evening.
Ben Williamson scored his first goal for the club with Bradley Dack netting a stunning volley on the half hour mark to give the visitors a comfortable lead.
However Brad Goldberg reduced the arrears with 10 minutes to play to set up a tense finale, however the Gills held on to record their third straight pre-season win.
Justin Edinburgh named a strong XI for the game with Stuart Nelson starting in goal and John Egan partnering Max Ehmer in the centre of defence.
Emmanuel Osadebe was handed another opportunity to impress in the midfield with Luke Norris in attack alongside new signing Rory Donnelly.
Jordan Houghton, on loan from Chelsea, was given his first start for the club after agreeing a deal until the New Year.
The visitors started very well with Norris having a shot inside the first 25 seconds blocked inside the penalty area before efforts from Egan and Houghton were well stopped by former Gills keeper Alan Julian.
Bromley created their first meaningful opportunity on 14 minutes – Alex Wall burst down the right hand side and picked out Brad Goldberg in space, he steadied himself but dragged an effort well wide of the left hand post.
The miss proved costly as Gillingham took the lead a minute later – Dack did well to win back possession 25 yards from goal, he picked out Williamson to his right hand side and he drove into the box before hitting a shot across Julian and into the corner.
Gills continued to boss proceedings with Houghton in particular looking impressive in terms of passing range, and it was one of his cross field balls which nearly led to a second goal.
Garmston continued his run on the left wing, his cross took a ricochet and Norris was just unable to make heavy enough contact to turn it home.
However it didn’t take too much longer to double the advantage with Bradley Dack scoring an absolute beauty on the half hour mark.
On receiving a pass on the edge of the area he lifted the ball over an oncoming defender, repeated the move as a second defender approached and then launched an excellent right footed volley across Julian and into the corner.
On 39 minutes the hosts should have reduced the arrears when Ehmer’s pass to Egan lacked pace, Wall advanced on goal and was one on one with Nelson but placed his effort over the stand.
H/T: 0-2
After the break the visitors remained in charge but were unable to put their number of half chances away. Bromley nearly took advantage on 62 minutes when Goldberg picked out substitute Anthony Cooke but he could only place his shot into the arms of the well placed Nelson.
Dack could have bagged a brace shortly after but his effort from a central position inside the box went well wide of the right hand post.
On 69 minutes Goldberg went agonisingly close to pulling a goal back, he created half a yard of space on the corner of the box and produced an excellent left footed effort which beat Nelson but landed on top of the net.
However he eventually did get his goal with 10 minutes to play. Substitute Ali Fuseini found the striker inside the box, Nelson came out to narrow the angle but the forward produced a delicate chip which deceived everybody and the ball trickled into the corner.
Jermaine McGlashan, on for Dack, saw his effort from 18 yards go over the bar on 84 minutes before another sub, this time Brennan Dickenson, saw his corner headed over by Egan.
F/T: 1-2
Bromley (Starting XI): Julian, Udoji, Anderson, Porter, Minshull, Holland, Joseph-Dubois, Prestedge, Wall, Goldberg, Dennis.
Subs: Rodgers, Gardikiotis, Cooke, Fuseini, Emmanuel, May, Tumwa, Morris, Birchall.
Gillingham: Nelson, Jackson, Egan, Ehmer, Garmston, Houghton (Pritchard 59), A Morris (Donnelly 63), Dack (McGlashan 82), Osadebe, Williamson, Norris (B Dickenson 82).
Unused subs: G Morris, Davies, M Dickenson, Freiter