Danny Kedwell struck twice for Gillingham as they edged Saturday’s friendly against Ebbsfleet.

Goals from Kedwell and Ben Strevens put the Gills 2-0 up at the break but Fleet pulled one back early in the second half through Moses Ashikodi.

Kedwell struck again for the Gills and so did Ashikdoi, with a minute left, in what was an entertaining encounter at Stonebridge Road.

Gillingham bossed the opening half and only Fleet keeper Preston Edwards denied the League 2 club from taking a bigger lead into the break.

Edwards twice pulled off good saves to deny Gillingham midfielder Charlie Lee.

The opening goal for the Gills was scored by Kedwell, as he glanced home Lee’s long throw with just four minutes on the clock.

Gillingham’s second goal was claimed by Kedwell’s strike partner Strevens. He put the ball over the line with his chest after Chris Whelpdale had guided Joe Martin’s cross towards the net.

Fleet were struggling to penetrate the Gills defence, which included a French trialists, named on the team-sheet as Bernard, playing in as centre-back. Stuart Nelson, in goal, had little to do in the opening 45 minutes, saving comfortably from Ashikodi towards the end of the half.

It was former Gills player Ashikodi who halved the deficit seven minutes after the restart. The striker picked up a long ball forward, his first touch took him clear of Matt Fish, with his second he guided the ball home.

Just a minute later the Gills defence, that had been so solid in the first half, was undone again and Liam Enver-Marum toe-poked an effort onto the post. It prompted Gills boss Martin Allen to head from his seat in the stands to the pitch for the first time in the match.

Nelson was called into action just past the hour to deny Neil Barrett from levelling the scores.

Gillinghamrestored their two goal advantage when Kedwell tucked home a low shot past Edwards with 20 minutes left.

Barrett again came close moments later, this time finding the same post that Enver-Marum had struck earlier on.

Fleet had the last word in the game as the Gills were caught in possession and after Liam Bellamy robbed the ball off Lee he found Ashikodi and the striker chipped in from the edge of the box,

Gills: Nelson, Fish (Allen 61mins), Martin, Payne, Davies, Bernard, Dack (Jackman 79mins), Lee, Kedwell, Strevens (Birchall 87mins), Whelpdale. Subs: Essam, Frampton, Evans, Montrose, Birchall, Hare, Forecast.

Fleet: Edwards, Stone (McNeil 79mins). Howe (Blake 58mins), Barrett, Walsh, Ada, Enver-Marum, Bellamy, Elder (Williams 89mins), Ashikodi, Phipp (Azeez 79mins). Subs: Greenhalgh, Folkes, Wilson, Secq, Akinde.