Reece Burke scored the only goal of the game, heading in Sonny Carey’s corner just after the hour, as Charlton beat Gillingham 1-0 at the MEMS Priestfield Stadium on Saturday in a pre-season friendly.
Taite Holtam started in goal for the Gills as they welcomed Charlton Athletic to ME7. Omar Beckles, Andy Smith and Liam Gordon made up the three at the back, while Sam Gale and Kadeem Harris provided the width at wing-back. Seb Palmer-Houlden led the line.
The hosts had a bright passage of play after Zane Albarus did well to win possession just inside the Charlton half. Palmer-Houlden carried it forward before playing it wide to Gale, who found James Brophy inside. He did well to shift the ball onto his left foot before shooting, with his attempt from outside the box being deflected over for a corner, which came to nothing.
Gillingham nearly took the lead in the 20th minute. The ball came out to Robbie McKenzie, who sent a powerful low drive goalward from over 20 yards out. His attempt took a deflection off Palmer-Houlden on its way to the goal, appearing to catch out Thomas Kaminski, who had already committed to the left bottom corner. However, the Charlton goalkeeper somehow got a hand onto the ball to claw it off the line before the visitors cleared the rebound.
In the 32nd minute, the visitors had a half-chance after Joe Rankin-Costello did well to lift the ball over an oncoming Gillingham defender before trying to loop the ball into the far corner of the goal. However, he could not make the right connection and it went out of play for a goal-kick.
Moments later, Ibrahim Fullah forced two saves out of Holtam. The first came when he picked up the ball from distance to the left of the centre before curling a shot towards the far corner. However, Holtam was equal to it, getting across to parry it away from the goal.
The second came after Charlton managed to work their way into the penalty area, with Fullah shooting from a tight angle on the right side of the box. His attempt was directed across the goal, but Holtam got two solid hands behind the ball to push it away.
Charlton continued to ramp up the pressure shortly before the break, as Gillingham could not clear a free-kick into their box. It eventually came out to Harvey Knibbs, who blasted a first-time attempt goalward. However, two Gills players were quick to react and close down the attempt.
HALF-TIME: Gillingham 0-0 Charlton Athletic
Gills made a change at the break, as Louie Dayal replaced Harris. Brophy moved over to left wing-back, while Dayal provided support for Palmer-Houlden.
Knibbs came close to scoring just short of the hour when his shot from the left side of the box went through a host of bodies. Holtam saw it late, but did well to save, despite a possible slight deflection.
On the hour, both sides made wholesale changes, as the Gills introduced ten new players to the game.
Reece Burke headed Charlton in front soon after. Carey curled a corner towards the back post and the defender rose the highest to head the ball goalward. He headed it down towards the near post, with the ball just clipping the woodwork on its way in.
Whitelock had a half-chance when he received the ball 25 yards from the goal. He cut inside onto his right foot and drove forward before shooting. However, he could not hit the target, sending the ball high and wide of the goal.
In the 78th minute, Gills won possession on halfway and broke forward, with the ball being played out wide to Sully Booth. He cut the ball back to Cruz Beszant on the edge of the box, who curled goalward, and his shot dipped over the goalkeeper and onto the side netting.
A young Gills side continued to press and search for an equaliser, as they did well to win possession high up the pitch. Beszant brought the ball into the box before getting a shot away. However, it was blocked before the visitors dealt with the loose ball.
FULL-TIME: Gillingham 0-1 Charlton Athletic
Gillingham: Holtam (MacLorg 61’), Gale (Booth 61’), Smith (Webster 61’), Gordon (Dobbs 61’), Beckles (Khumbeni 61’), Harris (Dayal 46’), Albarus (Waldock 61’), McKenzie (Beszant 61’), Freeman (Luxton 61’), Brophy (Theodore 61’), Palmer-Houlden (Whitelock 61’)
Unused Substitutes: Cross
Charlton Athletic: Kaminski (Brooks 46’), Ramsay, Jones, Coventry, Knibbs, Koumetio, Mesik, Olaofe, Kelman (Kanu 27’), Rankin-Costello, Fullah (Trialist 46’)
Charlton Athletic after 60 minutes: Brooks, Asiimwe, Burke, Gough, Bell, Docherty, Mwamba, Trialist (Enslin 85’), Carey, Campbell, Godden
Referee: Harry Wager
Attendance: 2747 (935)
