Faversham 0 Gillingham 8

Gillingham comfortably saw their way past Kent League opponents Faversham with an eight goal blitz at Salters Lane.

A strong Gills line up included many senior players and they dominated Thursday’s friendly encounter from start to finish.

Simeon Jackson bagged a second half hat-trick and there were also goals for Dennis Oli, Andy Pugh, John Nutter and Adam Miller.

The Gills were four goals up by the break but it took almost half an hour to grab the first, after a succession of missed chances, when Oli collected Miller’s ball over the top and beat home keeper Rob Hudson.

The opener had come on 27 minutes and the sizeable crowd had just six more minutes to wait for the second when Pugh smashed in from distance.

It was 3-0 after 41 minutes when Nutter struck at the second attempt and on the stroke of half time Miller netted the fourth.

A new Gills XI started the second half and among the side was French trialist Nigel Atangana in midfield from Caen.

Striker Jackson missed the first half after being stuck in traffic but took little time to make an impact as he struck goals in the 48th, 56th and 68th minute against a fading Faversham side.

The eighth came on 74 minutes when a Faversham defender turned Alistair John’s cross into his own net.

Manager Mark Stimson said: “We came to Faversham on a great pitch and the boys’ attitude was spot on. They did a professional job and to come away scoring eight goals and with a clean sheet is a good evening’s work.

“In the first 15, 20 minutes we could have scored one or two but all of a sudden one went in and we started to shoot from distance and there were a couple of decent strikes.”

Gillingham, first half: Julian, Walder, Nutter, King, Bentley, Crofts, Lewis, Miller, Howard, Oli, Pugh.

Second half: Kiely, Fuller, Wynter, Roget, Richards, Atangana, Thurgood, Hill, Jackson, Mulligan, John.