Gillingham began their pre-season campaign in the best possible way by beating Faversham 1-0 at Salters Lane on Friday evening.
Tom Eaves scored the only goal of the game, although he could quite easily have netted a hat-trick in the first half.
The visitors dominated for long periods but were unable to add to their one goal advantage.
A minute's applause was observed prior to kick-off in memory of young football fan Bradley Lowery who sadly passed away earlier in the day.
When the action began it was the Gills who created the first opening, a corner from the right hand side was swung towards the far post and Gabriel Zakuani was just inches away from making the score 1-0 to the visitors.
However this seemed to kick Faversham into life; Sam Bewick forcing a fine save from Tomas Holy before striking the underside of the bar moments later following a well rehearsed free-kick.
Gillingham controlled proceedings afterwards and took the lead on 22 minutes. Scott Wagstaff was played in on the right hand side, he had time and space to find Eaves who picked his spot and beat Overland with a well drilled strike.
He could have bagged his second just moments later, however Overland got down well and made a terrific save low to his left to deny the striker.
Just beyond the half hour mark and Wagstaff was causing trouble again, his cross found Eaves at the back post but he couldn't hit the target and then the Faversham stopper made another excellent save to stop Lee Martin doubling the Gills advantage.
H/T: 0-1
The new look Gills XI took to the field at the break and nearly scored within the first five minutes. Luke O'Neill's cross was met by Dan Carrington who inadvertently headed the ball against his own crossbar before the danger was eventually cleared.
A few minutes later and Josh Parker was on the receiving end of a teasing cross from Bradley Garmston. He met the ball well but his header went over the bar.
Not long afterwards he was involved once more; this time from distance but his right foot strike went narrowly wide of the left hand post. O'Neill and Josh Wright also saw their respective efforts miss the target.
Jake Hessenthaler forced another fantastic save from Simon Overland when his powerful shot was tipped over by the home keeper.
Gills were nearly made to pay for their missed chances when Garmston cleared off the line following a corner-kick, and Nelson then made an important stop when Freeman Rogers looked odds on to level the scores.
F/T: 0-1
Faversham Starting XI: Overland, Cooper, Tenyue , Carrington, Bourne, Bewick, Walder, Monger, King, Lovell, Robertson.
Gills 1st half: Holy, Ehmer, Zakuani, Trialist, Byrne, Trialist, Wagstaff, Martin, Cundle, Trialist, Eaves.
Gills 2nd half: Nelson, O'Mara, Lacey, Tucker, O'Neill, Garmston, Hessenthaler, Wright, List, Trialist, Parker.
Unused subs: Hadler, Simpson, Chapman, Oldaker, Mbo.
Attendance: 1214
Referee: J Packman