Championship opponents Millwall provided Gillingham with a big first challenge of pre-season.
Gillingham’s four new signings were on show at Priestfield on Saturday, but neither side could find the back of the net in a well-contested match.
The first pre-season game of the summer for Gillingham boss Mark Bonner saw him come up against the man who started last season in charge at Priestfield, Neil Harris.
Harris’ rollercoaster season in 23/24 saw him start at the Gills, sacked in October, appointed manager at Cambridge United in October as Bonner’s replacement before returning to Millwall in February,
Bonner had two weeks training his Gills players before this first test, and he named two different teams for the match against a mixed Millwall team, one in each half.
Millwall’s players were wearing black armbands in memory of their goalkeeper Matija Sarkic who died during the close-season, aged 26.
New Gillingham signings Jack Nolan, Armani Little, Aaron Rowe and Elliott Nevitt all featured as did youth player Harry Webster, with another youngster Harry Waldock on the bench.
Ethan Coleman was missing for the Gills along with Dom Jefferies, the out-of-contract youngster who is expected to move on this summer. Transfer-listed Ashley Nadesan and George Lapslis were also absent.
Oli Hawkins, signed as a striker by Harris, was another made available for transfer at the end of last season but he was involved in the second half for the Gills as a centre-half.
Bonner also included a player named as a trialist, thought to be West Ham’s young attacking midfielder Kamarai Simon-Swyer. He played in support of Josh Andrews upfront during the first half.
Gillingham started brightly, operating with wingers on both flanks. Jayden Clarke had a great early chance to score from Remeao Hutton’s teasing right-side cross but under pressure he headed over.
A couple of corner kicks came to nothing for the Gills and Shad Ogie – playing left-back in the opening half – fired over.
Gills’ big and mobile striker Andrews enjoyed a good battle against Millwall centre-half Jake Cooper and kept the visiting defenders occupied during the first 45.
Millwall grew into the game and had a few chances themselves in an opening half that ended goalless. Joe Bryan got in behind the defence on one occasion but Romain Esse got the shot all wrong when the ball was played out to him at the back stick.
Duncan Whatmore went close for the visitors and Nolan fired a free-kick wide for the Gills – after Andrews had been chopped down on the edge of the box – before it was all change at the break.
Millwall almost broke the deadlock early in the second half when Aidomo Emakhu drove at the Gills defence and saw his powerful effort bounce off the underside of the crossbar before being cleared. He smashed another effort wide soon after.
Jonny Williams was operating in attack with Nevitt in the second half in another 4-4-2 formation and the two were involved with winger Aaron Rowe to create an opening with an hour gone.
Williams was quick to win possession and free Rowe to run at the defence, who in turn played in Nevitt down the side and his rising shot was well saved by the visiting keeper.
Tom Bradshaw headed a Ryan Leonard cross wide with for Millwall 15 minutes left of the match while Emakhu continued to be a threat down the left and forced Glenn Morris into a save low down.
Nevitt was full of running up top for the Gills and he went close for the second time in the match with a header at the back post after connecting with Max Clark’s inswinging free-kick.
Gillingham first half: Turner, Hutton, Ogie, Ehmer, Gale, Giles, Little, Clarke, Nolan, Trialist, Andrews. Sub: Waldock.
Gillingham second half: Morris, Webster, Clark, Masterson, Hawkins, Dieng, McKenzie, Gbode, Rowe, Williams, Nevitt.
Millwall first half: Jensen, McNamara, Cooper, Nisbet, Bryan, Watmore, Saville, Esse, Leahy, Honeyman, Grant.
Millwall second half: Trialist, Wallace, Nisbet, Leonard, Emakhu, De-Norre, Esse, Adom-Malaki, Honeyman, Massey, Harding. Subs: Przewozny, Bradshaw, Okoli, Bangura-Williams, Smith, Lawon, Hearn.
Attendance: 4,280 (1,811 away)
Referee: Carl Brook
