Debuts for Gillingham’s next generation cheered up boss Justin Edinburgh on Tuesday night.

Defender Mitchell Dickenson made his first senior Gills appearance against Luton in the Checkatrade Trophy and academy midfielder Bradley Stevenson came off the bench for his debut. Fellow teenager Darren Oldaker scored in stoppage-time in what was his first senior start.

Edinburgh said: “The young boys didn’t do themselves any harm. I know they can play better but they didn’t let themselves down, in their courage and efforts and energy.

“It is pleasing for the club to have as many youth team players on the pitch as we did.”

Elliott List also started his first match although the right winger was asked to fill in as the left-sided wing-back.

Edinburgh said: “To ask him to do that is difficult. Some people don’t understand that and they just see 11 players on the pitch and expect their team to win every week, I get that."

Dickenson signed a professional deal this summer while Stevenson is being tipped for big things.

“I thought Mitchell got better as the game went on,” added Edinburgh. “He gave a good account of himself and was happy with that.

“Bradley Stevenson showed great enthusiasm, lots of energy and probably in another game at another time he would have got a goal. I was pleased with those two.”

Oldaker also turned pro this season and had already made three substitute appearances before the midweek match.

Edinburgh said: “He would probably be disappointed, perhaps in the quality he showed on the ball but in terms of showing a moral courage to get on the ball, he never shied away from it. I was delighted with him."