Gillingham continued their 100% start to pre-season with a 2-1 victory over Dartford at Princes Park on Tuesday evening.

Goals from Elliott List and Mark Byrne were enough to secure the victory for The Gills, who overcame an impressive Dartford side featuring seven new signings and three trialists.

Dartford drew the game level after falling behind early on, but a trialist’s goal was ultimately in vain and Gillingham took home a comfortable win in the end.

Gillingham started the game on the front foot when Regan Charles-Cook played Mark Byrne in down the right hand side. He squared the ball to trialist Mikael Mandron, who scored in The Gills’ 4-0 win at Folkestone on Saturday, but the Frenchman couldn’t quite get on the end of the cross.

Dartford responded well, utilising Alex Flisher’s long throw in the opening 10 minutes to good effect. The Gillingham goalkeeper flapped at one, but no one was able to convert the loose ball.

The opening goal came on the 10 minute mark and it was from a set piece. Regan Charles-Cook was on corner duty for Gillingham, and he whipped in a corner that was headed clear. The ball fell to Elliott List, though, who hit a sweet strike first time into the top left corner of the goal.

Flisher had to be replaced early on due to what turned out to be a dislocated shoulder just before the warning signs started to show for The Gills. A Darts trialist began causing the away defence plenty of problems, first of all when he stole the ball off Connor Ogilvie and forced a fine save from Jack Bonham at his near post.

Dartford continued to press and broke through Ryan Hayes as the clock hit 20 minutes. He played in the same trialist, who forced another save from Bonham in what was almost a carbon copy of the earlier chance.

On 33 minutes the trialist finally got his goal after Connor Ogilvie misjudged a header from a long ball up from the Dartford defence. The striker controlled the ball well and there was nothing Bonham could do this time to keep the strike out.

The Gills were back in front almost immediately, though, and it was from another set piece. Mikael Mandron was put through and forced a good save from Darts goalkeeper Mark Smith, however the resulting corner climaxed in Mark Byrne heading home on 36 minutes after Max Ehmer did well to keep Charles-Cook’s cross in play. The goal was the last real piece of action of the first half, and it was an entertaining half at that.

At half time Dartford managers Adam Flanagan and Jamie Coyle made three changes, with Ronnie Vint, Darren McQueen and a trialist replacing Josh Hill, Ryan Hayes and Luke Wanadio. Gillingham kept mostly the same team but were forced into one change, as Alfie Jones came on for a dazed, but ok, Lee Hodson as a precaution.

Gillingham continued to threaten from set pieces early on in the second half, with Ouss Cissé and Max Ehmer just unable to reach another Charles-Cook cross just before it was Ehmer’s turn to take a bang to the head.

Mikael Mandron showed what he can do in the air as Gillingham began to control the game, hitting the post from an excellent Barry Fuller cross just before the hour mark. Moments later he had another great headed chance, but this time put it just wide.

Ronnie Vint headed over himself for Dartford the other side of 60 minutes, moments before Steve Evans decided it was time to make his changes. There were 10 in total, with the rest of the squad from the first half making way for some fresh legs, including Darren Oldaker, who would take the captain’s armband for the last half an hour or so.

Gillingham’s subs used the width of the pitch well, with Callum Reilly receiving the ball on the left hand side on 68 minutes before firing just past Mark Smith’s far post.

Dartford’s last real chance of the game came from another trialist – one of a number of late changes for the home side including the introductions of Jedd Smith, Billy Crook and goalkeeper Jim Town – with 15 minutes left to play, when he bought a long ball down well, but he couldn’t finish.

The final action of the game came from yet another set piece when Nathan Thomas stepped up for a free kick moments before full time, however he couldn’t replicate his strike against Faversham earlier on this summer, this time firing way high of the crossbar.

The referee’s whistle followed, and Gillingham ran out 2-1 winners in what was a tough test for the league club. There will be areas to work on for The Gills for sure, but they can certainly be happy with the minutes in legs and some good attacking build up play.

For Dartford, they will be disappointed to concede from two set pieces, however can take plenty of encouragement from their general play and the threat they often posed on the counter attack.

Gillingham will now prepare for a double header this weekend at Priestfield against Charlton (Saturday) and Millwall (Sunday), and Dartford can look forward to playing hosts to newly promoted League Two side Leyton Orient at Princes Park on Saturday.

 

Dartford: M Smith (Town), Wynter (Leveson), Trialist (Trialist), Bonner, Hayes (Vint), Allen (Broadie), Flisher (Greenhalgh), Hill (McQueen), Blackman (Crook), Wanadio (Trialist), Trialist (J Smith).

Subs not used: (N/A)

Goals: Trialist 33

 

Gillingham: Bonham (Walsh), Hodson (Jones), Fuller (Garmston), O’Keefe (Oldaker), Ehmer (Woods), Ogilvie (Tucker), Byrne (Thomas), Cissé (Willock), Trialist (Hanlan), Charles-Cook (Reilly), List (Ndjoli).

Subs not used: Campbell

Goals: List 10, Byrne 36

 

Attendance: 815

Referee: Charles Breakspear

Assistants: Lee Venamore, Darren Blunden

Fourth Official: Jack Fagg