Gillingham lacked the cutting edge needed against Championship side Millwall on Saturday.

Millwall deservedly led at the break with Kevin Nisbet’s penalty separating the sides and although Gillingham looked more of a threat after the break Aidomo Emakhu scored a late second for the visitors.

Gillingham returned Priestfield for the first time this summer, backed by a good-sized crowd for a pre-season outing, swelled by a sizeable following from Millwall.

The Gills were already without injured striker Lewis Walker and there was no Oli Hawkins in the team for Saturday’s match either after his early withdrawal against Como. A handful of youngsters were involved, including a place on the bench for first-year scholar Will de Wilde.

Former Millwall man Scott Malone, who was on the Gills tour to Lake Como, wasn’t involved either. He had been released by the Championship side at the end of last season.

There was an ex-Millwall player captaining the Gills, with Shaun Williams once again taking the captain’s armband and playing the defensive midfield role. Their club’s record goalscorer and Gills boss Neil Harris received a warm reception from the travelling supporters.

A wreath was laid in the centre circle before the match by both managers and an informal clapping prior to kick off in honour of the late Millwall chairman John Berylson.

With Charlton making the trip to Priestfield days later, on Tuesday night, this was the first of two tough games for the Gills. Blustery conditions made it a challenge for both teams.

Early chances came for Millwall as Murray Wallace went close and the impressive Max Ehmer did enough to ensure Tom Bradshaw put a near-post header wide of the mark.

Gillingham’s best chances came down the right flank in the first half where the lively Jayden Clarke and Cheye Alexander were looking to make something happen from out wide. Those two combined for a Nichols header that was safely held by keeper Bartosz Bialkowski.

It was a tough afternoon for Nichols, trying to make

Gills keeper Jake Turner saved well from Duncan Watmore and Billy Mitchell wasn’t far off with a powerful drive on the edge of the box. Bradshaw did have the ball in the net but the ball had gone out of play in the build-up.

Millwall’s opener came from the penalty spot after Conor Masterson had tripped Watmore in the box. Nisbet’s shot sent Turner the wrong way to give the hosts the lead.

Gillignham struggled to make much of an impact up top themselves during the opening half and Millwall went in at the break ahead.

It was all-change for Millwall in the second half, as they switched their entire XI, while the Gills made three changes in midfield at the break.

A wind-assisted effort from Dom Jefferies was held onto by sub keeper George Long and a low strike from Nichols didn’t have the power to pose a problem as Gills made a decent start to the second half.

Ethan Coleman also forced Long into a save as the ball dropped invitingly from a corner.

A flurry of substitutions on 66 minutes included the introduction of striker Joe Gbode and he had a great early opportunity, in on goal with just Long to beat, but the Millwall man came out to make a great stop.

Gillingham had been far more of a threat second half while managing to keep the visitors quieter too but Millwall did add a second when Aidomo Emakhu made his 87th minute chance count when in space, smashing the ball home past Glenn Morris.

*A Gillingham XI were beaten 2-0 by Chatham Town on Friday night.

Gillingham: Turner (Morris 66mins), Alexander (Giles 83mins), Clark (McKenzie 66mins), Ehmer (Gale 73mins), Masterson (Wright 66mins), S Williams (Coleman 46mins), J Williams (Jefferies 46mins), Chambers (Lapslie 46mins), Dieng (Sithole 66mins), Nichols (Gbode 66mins), Clarke (Orji 73mins). Sub not used: de Wilde.

Millwall: Bialkowski, Wallace, Cooper, Nisbet, B Mitchell, Bradshaw, Bryan, Watmore, Esse, A Mitchell, Honeyman. Second half: Long, McNamara, Hutchinson, Evans, Flemming, Leonard, Vogslammer, Emakhu, Saville, Okoli, Adom-Malaki.

Referee: John Busby

Attendance: 5,012