Folkestone Invicta 1 Gillingham 3

JUST 65 days after rounding off last season at home to Crystal Palace, Gillingham’s players dusted themselves down and picked themselves up in preparation for the new campaign by winning at a canter against opponents from the Dr Martens League, Eastern Division, at Cheriton Road.

For Nosworthy, who scored twice against Palace after being pressed into services as a make-shift striker, it was case of being back in the old routine.

Without the injured Marlon King, Rod Wallace and Kevin James, and with Mamady Sidibe on international duty with Mali, Nosworthy was again moved up front in the week he expressed a preference for defence.

He responded with a dazzling solo goal after 23 minutes that gave Gillingham the tonic of a 3-0 half-time lead which killed off the game as a spectacle and gave his manager further food for thought should King, Wallace and James miss the start of the season.

Hope opened the scoring after nine minutes, heading home Danny Spiller’s corner. Matt Jarvis, a second year YTS trainee, increased the lead on 19 minutes when he snapped up the rebound after Tommy Johnson’s shot struck a post.

Hills, who played for the duration of the half, impressed with a cultured left foot and an ability to foray deep into Folkestone’s penalty area.

Hessenthaler, as promised, fielded a different 11 in the second half when Cox produced imperious form at the back. Australian midfield trialists David Brickell and Daniel Bateup were introduced in the second half with former Southend midfielder Stuart Thurgood among those giving way.

Folkestone pulled back a goal after 78 minutes through highly-rated striker Allan Tate who played the 90 minutes _ possibly for Gillingham to fully assess him.

“We've only been pre-season training for three days so it was a useful exercise for everyone, especially the newcomers, John Hills and Ian Cox,” said Hessenthaler.

Gillingham first half: Bartram; Southall, Beckett, Hope, Hills; Thurgood, Saunders, Jarvis, Spiller; Johnson, Nosworthy.

Gillingham second half: Brown; Rose, Ashby, Cox, L Johnson; Bateup, Brickell, Hessenthaler, Perpetuini; Shaw, Crofts.

Attendance: 736.