Reaction from Gillingham manager Neil Harris after a 4-0 pre-season win over Dover Athletic
Published: 15:00, 08 July 2023
Updated: 21:02, 10 July 2023
Gillingham manager Neil Harris liked a lot of what he saw on Saturday as his team brushed aside Dover.
National South opponents Dover were more threatening in the first half of the friendly match at Crabble but Gills were always in control and struck twice in each half to win 4-0.
Harris said: “We have worked this week in possession of the football, so nothing out of possession, so we were a little ragged without the ball at times, but I am absolutely fine with the because that’s going to be our concentration while we are away (in Italy next week).
“It has been about the football at Beechings this week (in training) and how we dominate and how we try and build our attacks. I saw a lot of good stuff today, I saw a lot of practices that we put on, a lot of patterns of play that we have worked on this week and I saw the players deliver that and we scored some really good goals.
“As a run-out, first game for us, excellent. I am delighted with the result.
“Results aren’t the be all and end all but we came here last season and played really well and lost 2-0, we came here (this time) and played quite well at times and won 4-0, that’s a major difference in what we have got within the group.”
Striker Tom Nichols, Oli Hawkins and Lewis Walker all scored, while Conor Masterson converted from a corner.
Harris added: “We’re playing against Conference South opposition, we have not started too low down, we are playing a competitive side in the National League standings and to dominate as we did, and if I was being fussy I would have liked us to add a few more goals, but I am not going to bemoan four goals and a clean sheet, we just have to make sure we continue that as the level of opponent increases.”
More by this author
Luke Cawdell