Joe Gbode’s first-half brace was the difference, as Gillingham ended their pre-season with a 2-0 victory against Dartford at Princes Park.
The opening goal came after four minutes. Armani Little pounced on a loose ball 25 yards from the goal before playing it out to Gbode on the left. He cut inside onto his right foot and into the penalty area before sending a shot towards the far bottom corner. It squeezed past Jonny Henley in the Dartford goal, with two Gills players sliding in at the back post as insurance.
Gbode doubled his, and Gillingham’s tally, on 35 minutes. He latched onto a long ball down the left before beating a defender and taking the ball into the box. His shot took a deflection off a home defender before finding the back of the net.
Sam Gale started the game at right-back while Robbie McKenzie and Armani Little played in the heart of the midfield. Seb Palmer-Houlden led the attack with Joe Gbode and Bradley Dack in support.
Gillingham took the lead in the fourth minute through Gbode. Gale’s cross was headed clear, and Little pounced on the loose ball 25 yards from the goal. He was quick to offload the ball to Gbode on the left before the wide man cut inside onto his right foot and entered the penalty area. Gbode sent a low drive towards the far corner, which squeezed into the back of the net beyond Jonny Henley, with two Gills players sliding in at the back post attempting to get the final touch.
Gbode nearly added his second after Palmer-Houlden got down the right before sending a cross into the box. Gbode got across his marker, but the Dartford defender did well to recover and block the attempt.
Soon after, Conor Masterson was denied by the woodwork. Dack curled a corner towards the back post, which Henley in the Dartford goal failed to make contact with. It found Masterson at the back post, whose header hit the face of the crossbar, with the rebound falling to Gale inside the six-yard box. However, he could not keep his header down, and it cleared the goal.
The visitors continued to apply pressure, as a goal line clearance prevented Gbode from scoring his second. Gills had numbers forward, and McKenzie squared the ball to Gbode, who was in acres of space on the left side of the box. He struck the ball first time, with his attempt beating Henley. However, Michael Olarewaju produced a brilliant sliding block to clear it off the goal line.
The Gills academy graduate had another opportunity moments later when he met Shad Ogie’s curling cross. However, he could not keep his header down, as it cleared the crossbar.
Gbode finally scored his second after 35 minutes. He latched onto a long ball down the left, keeping the ball in play before getting beyond a defender and into the penalty area. The forward got a shot away, which took a deflection on its way into the back of the net.
On the stroke of half-time, Henley denied Palmer-Houlden. The Gills striker was able to cut inside onto his right foot before sending a powerful effort goalward. The Dartford goalkeeper got two strong hands behind the ball to palm it clear before the hosts cleared their lines.
HALF-TIME: Dartford 0-2 Gillingham
Gills made one change at the break, as Andy Smith replaced Gale.
In the 50th minute, Gills made their second substitution, as Elliott Nevitt came on for Palmer-Houlden.
The visitors made three more changes after 63 minutes. Ethan Coleman, Marcus Wyllie and Josh Andrews replaced McKenzie, Jonny Williams and Dack respectively.
Coleman tried his luck from 25 yards when he received the ball in space. He directed a powerful effort goalward, with it taking a deflection on its way to the goal for a corner. From the resulting set piece, Gbode glanced a header wide.
In the 76th minute, Andrews headed wide too. Clark curled a cross towards the centre of the box from a deep position, finding the rising cerntre-forward. However, Josh could not direct his attempt on target.
The visitors continued to ramp up the pressure, as they had two efforts blocked in quick succession. Gbode was the first to try his luck when he received the ball inside the box with his back to goal. He quickly turned before shooting, with his attempt met with a block. The loose ball came out to Wyllie on the right, who got the ball out of his feet before shooting, seeing his shot blocked too by a sliding oncoming defender.
Gbode came close to his third when we got in behind the Dartford defence. He blasted a shot towards the near post, which flew wide of the target.
FULL-TIME: Dartford 0-2 Gillingham
Dartford: Henley, Frempah, Whitefield, Olarewaju, McLeod, Olopade, Dsane, Odaudu, Carruthers, Jones, Eze
Substitutes: Trialist, Trialist, Williams, Box, Omara Knapp, Atkins, Pinder, Campbell, Taylor
Gillingham: Morris, Gale (Smith 46’), Masterson, Ogie, Clark, Little, McKenzie (Coleman 63’), J. Williams (Wyllie 63’), Dack (Andrews 63’), Palmer-Houlden (Nevitt 50’), Gbode
Unused Substitutes: Turner
Referee: Joe Dann-Pye
Attendance: 1037
