Gillingham started their pre-season fixtures with a comprehensive victory over Ryman League side Folkestone Invicta at the Buzzlines Stadium.
With Mark Stimson keen to give his entire squad some match practice, the Gills fielded a different side in each half with five trialists also on show.
Lining up in the 4-3-3 formation that served them so well at the end of 2008/09, the visitors made a strong start to the proceedings with Andy Barcham marauding down the left flank in the third minute before flashing an effort across goal and wide of the far post.
Moments later first year pro Luke Rooney, looking very lively on the right wing, linked up with former Charlton youngster Sam Long and tested the keeper with a low shot to the near post.
Rooney went even closer in the ninth minute, collecting a deep cross from Andy Barcham before hitting a low strike that brought another good save from keeper Jack Delo.
Invicta's best chance of the half came in the 16th minute as James Dryden set up James Everett to shoot, fortunately for the Gills Alan Julian was alert to the danger and raced out to gather Everett's attempt.
At the other end Rooney went close, Weston fired wide and Andy Pugh shaved the bar with a 25 yard drive before Gillingham broke the deadlock.
Fittingly it was Luke Rooney who found the net in the 26th minute, curling a sweet shot in off the far past after slipping his marker on the right hand edge of the area.
The visitors could have doubled their lead from the restart, Curtis Weston's through ball was swept goalwards by Pugh but Delo got down well to turn it behind for a corner.
After Stuart Lewis had hit the right hand stanchion with a speculative effort from distance, Pugh went close again with a glancing header from Nutter's left wing cross but Folkestone's keeper reacted well to block it from close range.
Half Time 1-0
The Gills made 10 changes at half time with trialist Aaron Brown, a centre-half from Yeovil, staying on to partner fellow trialist Chris McCready in the heart of defence. They were joined at left-back by another new face, Jordan Parkes, a 20 year-old defender from Watford.
But it was new signing Chris Palmer who made the quickest impact. The former Walsall winger linked up superbly with trialist Rashid Yussuff and ghosted in to the box playing a sweet cross for Mark McCammon to slot in the Gills second in the 46th minute.
Yussuff, a former Charlton midfielder showed some promising touches and it was his clever through ball that sent Dennis Oli clear down the right wing in the 61st minute. Racing clear of his marker Oli rolled a teasing ball across the face of goal but no Gills player was able to find the finish his delivery deserved.
With 20 minutes left Chris Palmer rounded off an impressive debut with a well taken goal. Yussuff was the provider, splitting the defence with a deft pass which Palmer slotted home beyond the advancing keeper.
Palmer nearly set up a fourth with a 79th minute corner which McCready climbed well to meet but his finish was comfortably gathered by Keiron Mann in the Folkestone goal.
Gillingham keeper Simon Royce had little to do and spent much of the second half fending off the attentions of a flock of Seagulls that had taken residence in his 18 yard box.
Attendance: 485
The Gills are next in action on Tuesday July 14th for a pre-season friendly against Dartford at Princes Park, kick-off 7.45pm
Folkestone: Jack Delo (46 Kieron Mann), Michael Yianni (54 Sam Henson), Josh Burchell, Liam Friend, Frankie Chappell, Liam Dickson (54 Billy Swallow), Darren Smith, Billy Sommerville (80 Jon Driscoll), James Dryden, James Everitt (80 Trialist), Jimmy Jackson.
Gillingham 1st Half: Alan Julian, Sam Long, Aaron Brown, Garry Richards, John Nutter, Curtis Weston, Kevin Maher, Stuart Lewis, Andy Barcham, Andy Pugh, Luke Rooney.
Gillingham 2nd Half: Simon Royce, Barry Fuller, Aaron Brown, Chris McCready, Jordan Parkes, Adam Miller, Jack Payne, Rashid Yussuff, Dennis Oli, Mark McCammon, Chris Palmer.
