Gills defeat Dover in pre-season friendly at Crabble.
Four different scorers got in on the act as Gills began their pre-season campaign in style by beating Dover 4-0 at Crabble.
Tom Nichols, Oli Hawkins, Conor Masterson and Lewis Walker all found the target with Gills commanding proceedings for the majority of the game.
Neil Harris, as expected, named two different XI’s for either half at Crabble with both Jonny Williams and Max Clark featuring in the opening 45 minutes. Josh Chambers, Lewis Walker and Joe Gbode were all named in the second half line-up.
Gills started well and took the lead with their first effort on target. Max Clark played an excellently weighted ball down the left channel which gave something for Tom Nichols to chase. He stayed onside, got into the penalty area and lifted the ball over the oncoming keeper and the ball found the opposite corner.
Jake Turner had to be alert to deny an equalizer shortly afterwards, making a low save to his left side before Alex Giles headed a Jonny Williams corner wide.
Max Ehmer saw a left footed effort well blocked before a low effort from Jonny Williams, following an impressive solo run from Nichols, was comfortably gathered. Turner was called upon again just shy of the half hour, pushing wide a Dover free-kick before Nichols headed away the resulting corner.
On 35 minutes Cheye Alexander’s right footed free-kick from 25 yards went just over the bar, but he was integral in the Gills second goal which was scored a few minutes later. The full-back found Nichols in space on the right side and the forward had time to look up and see where Hawkins was placed. The cross was inch perfect and the former Mansfield man found the back of the net from six yards with a bullet header.
H/T: 0-2
A new XI picked up where the departing XI left off and Gills continued to command proceedings in the second half. A third goal was added on 58 minutes when Will Wright’s low corner from the right was rifled home by Conor Masterson who had timed his run towards the near post to perfection.
Six minutes later and it was 0-4. Tim Dieng produced an excellent cross from the left hand side, the Dover keeper was stuck in two minds as whether or not to come and claim. He chose not to and Walker guided an excellent header beyond his reach.
Gills defended professionally in the closing stages to preserve their clean sheet and begin their pre-season campaign with a convincing win.
F/T: 0-4
Gills (first-half): Turner, Alexander, Ehmer, Giles, Clark, Lapslie, S Williams, Clarke, J Williams, Nichols, Hawkins.
Gills (second-half): Morris, Orji, Wright, Masterson, McKenzie, Dieng, Coleman, Jefferies, Chambers (Macarthur 76), Gbode, Walker.
Unused subs: Holtam, Gale, Sithole