Gills captain Barry Fuller shakes hands with Calais skipper Judicael Briesmalien before kick-off

by Luke Cawdell

Calais 0 Gillingham 0

Dennis Oli became Gillingham’s latest pre-season casualty after limping off injured during their match in Calais on Saturday evening.

The Gills were already weakened with the absence of key midfielder Stuart Lewis and Adam Miller who picked up injuries against Bishop’s Stortford last week. Both could miss the start of the season.

Oli was starting up-front for the Gills as they travelled to Calais as part of a pre-season training camp, near their base in Le Touquet.

Gills boss Mark Stimson named a strong side for the game, against a team who next season will be playing in the fifth tier of French football, following a two-division demotion.

Calais provided Stimson’s side with a good test and Gillingham’s only effort of the first half came from midfielder Rashid Yussuff, who fired in a weak effort that failed to trouble keeper Cedric Schille.

The home side came close with an effort from Maurice Sankhare early on which Simon Royce comfortably dealt with and the same player was denied moments later by Gillingham’s keeper.

Oli (pictured) went down following a challenge just outside the Calais box, just 17 minutes into the game, and was replace by Mark McCammon.

Calais continued to be a threat in the second half and Heredia Mayombo hit the outside of the post and soon afterwards he burst through the defence but had his shot blocked by Royce.

Royce was again needed to save the Gills as he held onto Judicael Briesmalien’s long range effort.

With an hour gone McCammon headed a chance narrowly over and the game began to heat up with a booking for Barry Fuller, after he fouled Sankhare, and moments later Kilian Hurtrel was in the book for a rash challenge on Chris Palmer.

Kevin Maher was also cautioned by an over-officious referee, after taking a free-kick before his whistle was blown, and Josh Gowling became the third Gillingham name in the book after a foul.

Curtis Weston was a threat in the second half and he put one effort wide but the game ended without a goal.

Gills: Royce, Fuller, Nutter, Richards (Gowling 64mins), King, Maher, Weston, Oli (McCammon 17 mins), Palmer, Barcham (Rooney 74mins), Yussuff (Bentley 46mins). Subs: Cumbers, Payne, Wynter, Pugh, Julian.