Nicky Southall nets Gillingham's winning goal on Tuesday Pic: Chris Davey

by Luke Cawdell

Gillingham ended their pre-season campaign with a narrow win over Faversham thanks to an early Nicky Southall strike.

The Gills should have had a second but Adebayo Akinfenwa was denied his first goal in a Gillingham shirt when keeper Rob French saved his penalty.

The visiting side were made up a mixed bag, with Akinfenwa and Mark McCammon playing in attack, while Southall (pictured) was also included in a youthful side.

Manager Andy Hessenthaler also named former Sporting Lisbon and Chelsea winger Fabio Ferreira in the side and despite taking a nasty knock to his shoulder early on he performed well down the right flank.

At the back in the second half trialist Aaron Leacock got another run-out.

Southall put the Gills ahead after just 10 minutes with a rasping drive after good work from Akinfenwa, to hold the ball up and Stanley Aborah, with the lay-off.

Home keeper French made some good saves in the first half, including a one handed stop from Alex Brown’s long range effort.

French also tipped over a dipping free-kick from Southall and on the stroke of half time he pushed Akinfenwa’s shot wide.

The keeper again thwarted the Gills on 58 minutes as he turned Akinfenwa’s penalty kick wide of the post. The incident saw Faversham’s Michael Dodsworth sent off after stopping Ferreira’s goal-bound effort with his hands.

Hessenthaler got a good look at several youngsters, including first year apprentices Jack Parter, Bradley Dack and keeper Ashley Bourne.

Parter dragged a shot wide late on as the Gills were unable to add to Southall’s early strike.

Gills: Hawkes (Bourne 73mins), Evans, J Brown (Benniman 63mins), A Brown (Dack 73mins), Essam, Davies (Leacock 46mins), Southall, Aborah, McCammon, Akinfenwa (Parter 70mins), Fabio.

Faversham: French (Ellis 81mins), Dodsworth, Brown, Bathgate (Callender 73mins), Avery, Bourne, Hamshare, Skelton, Luchford (Baldwin 60mins), Hill (Sinden 46mins), Botterill. Subs not used: Lye, O’Brien.

Attendance: 617