A young Gillingham side were punished for not taking their chances as Ryman Premier new boys Aveley nicked a 0-1 win at Mill Field.

Mark Stimson's selection included Mark Bentley on his return from injury and former Gills loan signing Moses Ashikodi. Glenn Hoddle Academy scholar Emmanuel Udoji partnered Tom Wynter at the heart of defence while Rimmel Daniel also appeared on trial following his return from Gold Cup duty with Grenada.

After a bright start by the Essex outfit it was Gillingham who mustered the first shot on target, albeit against the run of play, in the eighth minute. Andy Pugh made room to shoot but his effort was comfortably held by James Marrable.

At the other end Aveley were keen to test the Gills debutant keeper Daran Hawkes, a first year apprentice, and went close with a curling shot from Junior Dadson that deflected inches wide of the visitor's far post. From the resulting corner centre-half Paul Kier lashed a shot from the edge of the box that sent Hawkes scrambling across his goal to gather low to his left.

On 16 minutes trialist Emmanuel Udoji climbed above the Aveley defence to meet Yussuff's corner only to see his header land on the roof of the net. Then a free kick by Yussuff on the right of the box was miss kicked by Bentley and fell to a surprised Ashikodi who could only shoot tamely at the keeper.

Gillingham were on top of the game by now but couldn't make their possession pay off as time and again good openings went begging. Yussuff showed good vision to pick out Daniel down the Gillingham left but after a great run into the box his weak effort was comfortably held by Marrable.

Just a minute later the impressive Yussuff tried a shot of his own stinging the keeper's gloves with a speculative drive. Pugh went close with a similar effort soon after but again his shot was too close to the keeper before Luis Cumbers met Payne's far post cross only to head wide with the goal at his mercy.

With half time approaching more clever delivery from Yussuff allowed Long to cut in on the right of goal but his finish was wide of the mark. Then in the final minute the Gills spurned the best opening of the half, Luis Cumbers played a neat one-two with Bentley which sent the young forward clean through on goal only to see his under hit shot stick under the keeper's body.

HT 0-0

Moments after arriving as a replacement for Mark Bentley, trialist Nathan Ashton thought he had broken the deadlock when he beat Aveley's keeper with a cheeky lob which to his frustration came back of the crossbar.

Within seconds Moses Ashikodi wasted another opening, collecting the ball on the right of goal before chipping wide of the left hand post.

Gillingham continued to enjoy the better of the possession but still the home side clung on to their clean sheet. There was further frustration on 58 minutes as Jack Payne's left foot cross found Tom Wynter unmarked in the area but he headed wide from just six yards.

A series of substitutions gave the hosts fresh impetus as the half wore on and the breakthrough duly arrived in the 68^th minute. Sam Holloway provided the cross for Ellie Kayembe whose pin point header beat Hawkes from close range.

The Gills immediately sought a way back in to the game but despite plenty of endeavour, they could not find that elusive finish. On 74 minutes Jack Payne pushed forward and tried his luck from range only to see his strike drift wide of the target. Soon after Andy Pugh threaded a neat ball through to Charlie Stimson but his first time shot was beaten away.

Then with Aveley seconds from victory, Sam Long's through ball allowed Stimson to get goal side of the home defence. Charlie seemed destined to score but his low shot was superbly blocked at the near post by Ronnie Worster to condemn the Gills to defeat.

Gillingham: Daran Hawkes, Sam Long, Emmanuel Udoji, Tom Wynter, Rimmel Daniel (85 Connor Essam), Mark Bentley (46 Nathan Ashton), Jack Payne, Rashid Yussuff (66 Jack Evans), Moses Ashikodi (66 Charlie Stimson), Andy Pugh, Luis Cumbers (66 Liam Geering).

Aveley: James Marrable (62 Ronnie Worster), Michael Alaile, Sam Holloway (77 Nicky Wettner), Gareth Street (56 Nicky Symonds), Paul Kier (67 Sam Adejokun), Nathan Fletcher (70 David Cooper), Junior Dadson (77 Kurt Smith), Garry Skerritt (56 Matt Johnson), Martin Touhy (62 Ellie Kayembe), Piers Wixon (62 Neil Richmond), Victor Omogbehin (77 Tashan Adeyijka).