Neil Harris and his team make a winning start to pre-season.
Olly Lee scored from the penalty spot as Gills began their pre-season campaign with a 2-0 win against Folkestone Invicta at the BuildKent Stadium.
Five trialists were involved in the club's first warm-up game. Leon Davies and Bruno Andrade played in the first half while Jordan Greene, Lewis Walker and Henry Wise featured in the second period.
Ben Reeves had Gillingham’s first opportunity of the game in the 13th minute. Dom Jefferies passed the ball to Reeves, who then turned, drove forward and tried his luck from 20 yards out. However, his effort cleared the crossbar.
Scott Heard came close for the hosts moments later as his shot from distance went just wide of the post.
In the 24th minute, Ade Yussuff came close for Folkestone. He did well to make his way inside the penalty area before shooting. It was a powerful effort but failed to trouble Gills stopper, Ashley Maynard-Brewer.
Gills had a great opportunity to take the lead minutes later. Scott Kashket did well to get in behind the Folkestone defence and squared it across the face of goal. There was no one initially to poke it home, but Andrade met it near the edge of the area. He tried to find the bottom corner, but his shot was blocked.
Gills had a penalty appeal rejected in the 39th minute as an attempted pass into the box appeared to hit the hand of a Folkestone defender. However, the referee waved away any claims.
In the 42nd minute, Shaun Williams almost gave Gillingham the lead in sensational fashion. He noticed Bailey Vose off of his line and decided to try and lob the goalkeeper from inside the Gills half. He successfully lobbed him, but his effort went just wide of the target.
HALF-TIME: Folkestone Invicta 0-0 Gillingham
Matty Macarthur, who came on in the first half, came close to giving Gillingham the lead in the 54th minute. He did well to work his way into the box before cutting inside. He hit his effort hard and low, but Connor Collins was on hand to make the save.
Moments later, Gillingham were in front. Macarthur got in behind the home defence, but his effort towards the near post was saved. The rebound fell straight back to him, and he then squared it into the six-yard box. Greene got on the end of it and he smashed the ball into the back of the net, from just a few yards out.
In the 76th minute, Gillingham were awarded a penalty. Greene used his blistering pace to make his way into the penalty area before taking the ball beyond the defender and being brought down.
Olly Lee stepped up to take the spot-kick and scored as he sent Collins the wrong way.
FULL-TIME: Folkestone Invicta 0-2 Gillingham
Folkestone Invicta first half: Vose, Vincent, Green, Gayle, Davies, Rogers, Heard, Dolan, Olutade, Yusuff, Daniel
Folkestone Invicta second half: Collins, Yamfam, Green, Newman, Blanks, Draycott, Everitt, Gaye, Dolan, Olutade, Sterling
Gillingham first half: Maynard-Brewer, Davies, Ehmer, Gale, Akehurst, Reeves, Jefferies, Williams, Andrade, Gbode, Kashket (Macarthur 33’)
Gillingham second half: Holtam, Moore, Carter, Giles, Tutonda, O’Keefe, Wise, Greene, Lee, MacArthur (Dempsey 83’), Walker
Attendance: 949
Referee: Miss K Dowie