By Matthew Panting

Gillingham boss Andy Hessenthaler fielded seven trialists during their pre-season defeat at Braintree on Friday night.

The Blue Square Bet South team play two levels below the Gills but ran out 2-1 winners over their League 2 visitors.

Hessenthaler said: "There were positives and negatives in the game.

"In spells we passed the ball quite well, we played a different formation in the second half as well.

"It's not easy at this time of year with the trialists in there but that's not an excuse."

With keeper Alan Julian playing 90 minutes, Hessenthaler gave 20 outfield players 45 minutes apiece.

There was no room for summer signings Andrew White and Stefan Payne or strikers Simeon Jackson and Mark McCammon while Garry Richards and Simon King remain sidelined through injury.

In the first half, Hessenthaler looked at former Woking and Welling defender Tony Sinclair (pictured), ex-Gills midfielder Danny Spiller who has since featured for Millwall and Dagenham, along with Serge Makofo - a Congolese forward who has featured for Grays and Burton.

After the break it was the turn of French-born right-back Romauld Bocu, who played for Burton last season having previously featured more than 70 times for Accrington, ex-Brighton forward Sam Gargan, who was at Sutton last year, former Cambridge United and Grays striker Fola Onibuje who ended last season at Southport plus Lewis Young - the younger brother of Aston Villa's Ashley.

Braintree took the lead after 16 minutes when Sinclair didn't hear keeper Alan Julian's call and the defender's header back was tapped in by Jamie Guy after it came back off the post.

Jack Payne had Gillingham's best chance, his 35-yard dipping shot being tipped over by keeper Nathan MacDonald seven minutes before half-time.

After the break, Mark Bentley's header was cleared off the line before Luke Rooney's deflected free-kick levelled matters on 55 minutes after the midfielder had been fouled 25 yards from goal.

However, Braintree regained the lead within two minutes when Sean Marks bundled the ball home after Connor Essam and trialist Bocu got themselves in a tangle.

Onibuje showed signs of promise for the Gills while Spiller also impressed among the trialists.

What did you make of the Gillingham trialists? Have your say in our comments section.