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Steve Evans got what he wanted out of Gillingham’s opening pre-season win at Colchester on Saturday.
Friendlies have taken on a fresh significance this summer as clubs adapt to following Covid-19 rules, including matches behind closed doors.
Evans felt Gills were slow to get going in United’s empty stadium but they found their rhythm and beat the League 2 hosts 2-0 with Stuart O’Keefe securing a half-time lead and Connor Ogilvie adding the second.
Boss Evans said: “It was good experience of what Covid’s going to be about in terms of playing games and good experience of a game with no spectators.
“I don’t think we started particularly well.
“The boys said at half-time they found it a little bit strange because it’s the first time we’ve done it with no fans.
"But we grew into the game and Stuart got a goal for us and we were unfortunate perhaps not to be two or three up at half-time although, it has to be said, Jack Bonham makes a good save to keep it level.
“I think second half we controlled the game, we got the early goal and from then on in it was about who could do the minutes and who we needed to look at the data on, which was live on the side, and make some changes.
“But we came through it and finished with six or seven youngsters in the team which is good because it gives them a little experience of it.”
Gillingham were comfortable winners but Evans hadn’t been too concerned about the performance, with fitness and sharpness the priorities.
Asked what he’d been looking for, Evans said: “Strangely enough, not performance, because we know what the players can do, either the ones we’ve kept or the new ones coming into the group, we know they’ve got something to bring to the group.
“There’s probably three or four out there we’re just looking to improve in fitness.
“You look at Alex MacDonald - he’s probably been to McDonald’s, hasn’t he!? - but we knew that so we expected that.
“Jordan Graham has worked incredibly hard on his upper physique but that’s not the same as playing competitive football so that was good.
“John Akinde’s done a lot of work in the summer as well but needs to do a little bit more, so a lot of players we’re looking at that side and a lot of players, the technical players, like the Willocks and one or two others, we’re looking at them just getting on the ball and getting their touch going again.
“I thought that back four looked really good but there’s lot of things to work on and lots of players we need to add to the group.”
