Adam Birchall completed his first 90 minutes of football in a year and capped it with a goal against his former club.

The Gillingham striker (pictured) hadn’t played a full match since leaving Dover a year ago after a serious injury, picked up during pre-season last year, left him sidelined for the whole of the 2011/12 campaign.

But he was back against his former club and netted the second of Gillingham’s two goals at Crabble on Tuesday night.

The win keeps the promising pre-season form going for Martin Allen’s Glls, who are unbeaten so far during the summer.

There were familiar faces in both sides with the Dover squad including former Gills players Tom Wynter, Dean Rance - who left Priestfield at the end of last season - Barry Cogan and Whites’ player-manager Nicky Forster.

The Gills, as expected, lined up with Birchall and former Dover youth player Ashley Miller in attack infront of a crowd of 825.

Allen included two French trialists in his defence but the only sour note for him was the sight of Connor Essam hobbling off injured towards the end of the friendly encounter.

The Gills went ahead with 12 minutes gone. Charlie Allen and Lewis Montrose were involved in the build-up and it was Danny Jackman with the finish from just outside the area.

Shortly before half-time came Birchall’s moment. The striker, who hit over 40 goals for Dover during his last full season, fired home through a crowd of bodies after Steve Thomson had cleared Essam’s header off the line.

Dover halved the deficit on 54 minutes when former Gills winger Cogan played in a free-kick and Callum Willock headed past keeper Tommy Forecast.

Before Essam went off injured the Gills also withdrew Lewis Montrose following a heavy challenge with 15 minutes left.

Dover: Hook, Huke (Axford 67mins), Wynter, Rance, Watt (Raggett 62mins), Simpemba (Webb 67mins), Modeste (Cogan 46mins), Thomson (Pilcher 85mins), Willock (Forster 67mins), Bricknell, Smith. Subs not used: Harrington, Walker.

Gillingham: Forecast, Mikael (Evans 46mins), Frampton (Brown 46mins), Essam (Maughan 89), Itoua (Hare 46mins), Payne (Carter 62mins), Allen, Montrose (Brunt 73mins), Jackman, Birchall, Miller (Humber 46mins (Millbank 89mins)). Sub not used: Hawkes.

Attendance: 825