Facing their toughest pre-season test thus far, Gillingham produced arguably their best performance under Steve Evans since he took over.

Championship side Charlton Athletic were seen off in the Priestfield sunshine with something left in the tanks for the second part of the weekend’s double header – Sunday lunchtimes meeting with Millwall.

Stuart O’Keefe put the Gills in front early on running onto Nathan Thomas’ delightful pull back before after a pretty even first half, the visitors levelled two minutes before the break when Nabby Sarr’s free-kick crashed back off of Jack Bonham’s right post only for Chuks Aneke to drive the ball into the roof of the net.

Further goals for the home side two minutes after the break from Mikael Ndjoli and Elliott List two minutes from the end gave the scoreline a look that some might say flattered Evans’ side, but when you consider that Charlton were one of the most exciting sides in League One last season, Lee Bowyers side definitely flattered to deceive especially in forward areas.

As in all the pre-season games thus far and as he’d promised, Evans gave the bulk of his side a good hours workout with just Matty Willock and Lee Bonham missing because of illness and an ankle knock picked up at Dartford in midweek.

The Gills opened with a high tempo and took a deserved early lead when the imposing Ouss Cisse and Regan Charles-Cook created room for Thomas and his lay back was drilled into the bottom corner by O’Keefe.

Alfie Jones was on hand for the Gills to take advantage of Charlton’s first real foray forward – the defender showing great composure to cushion the ball away from his own goal under great pressure, before it was Barry Fuller’s turn to track a dangerous run from Aneke to clear.

Gills then had a great chance to double the lead when Brendon Hanlon threaded a ball through for Ndoji only for the Bournemouth loanee to poke the ball wide of goal.  At the other end, one of Charlton’s stars from last season, Lyle Taylor, sprung to life with a great shot that produced an equally great save from Bonham.  Sadly for the Gills stopper there was nothing he could do with Sarr’s free-kick that thudded against his right post and fell nicely for Aneke to score.

Level at the break, the home side were back in front two minutes when Ndoji this time was precise with his shot as he was played in and the ball nestled in the bottom corner of the net.

Charlton huffed and puffed but never really recovered and created very little in the second period.  Arguably the closest they did get was when Taylor charged down Bonham’s attempted clearance, but luckily for the home side the ball rebounded to safety.  The only other chance the Addicks created saw Jason Pearce’s header flash wide from a corner, but after Evans had made his bulk changes just past the hour, Charlton’s tiring legs weren’t able to up the tempo and the Gills signed off a well deserved victory two minutes from time when List left four defenders in his wake before firing gloriously into the bottom right beyond the despairing hand of Phillips to leave the home side with a brilliant platform to take into Sunday lunchtime’s clash with Millwall.

Gillingham: Bonham (90 mins), Fuller (Allen 83), Jones (Tucker 60), Ehmer (Ogilvie 60), Garmston (Campbell 83), O’Keefe, (Oldaker 60), Cisse (Reilly 60), Thomas (Woods 60), Charles-Cook (List 60), Hanlan (Trialist 60), Ndjoli (Byrne 60).

Charlton: Phillips; Lockyer, Pearce, Sarr; Dijksteel, Pratley, Aneke (Lapslie 54), Morgan, Page (Williams 13), Dempsey 73); Taylor (Doughty 75), Bonne

Subs: Amos, Maloney, Wiredu

Referee – Pollard

Assistants – Blunden & Bonneywell (Fourth official – Cruise)