Gillingham manager Gareth Ainsworth is hopeful that an injury to Seb Palmer-Houlden in their final pre-season game isn’t as bad as first feared.
The forward pulled up early in the second half of the game at Dartford, and went off nursing his left hamstring, but Ainsworth isn’t too concerned after returning to the changing room at full-time.
Report: Dartford 0 Gillingham 2
Ainsworth’s men won the game at Dartford 2-0 thanks to a Joe Gbode double in the first half.
“Thank goodness for that – pre-season’s over!” stated the Gills boss after the final warm-up match.
“I’m not going to say, ‘Oh great, we’ve won’. It’s brilliant. It’s nice, a great performance, but results don’t mean anything pre-season. I said that after Ebbsfleet (losing 2-1 there on Tuesday).
“Results don’t mean anything pre-season. Performance do, and that was a good performance, especially in the first half.
“We were very organised, structured. We had a way of playing. We had some moments of individual magic that turned the game.
“Obviously, Joe Gbode scored the two goals and will get the highlights, but it was a real team performance.
“We were able to switch formations for the second half and I’m not sure which one I’ll play next week. We’re really pleased because that opened a door as well, which was fantastic.
“Everyone saw Seb pull up with his hamstring, but it’s not as bad (as thought). It might have been a bit of cramp, so that could be a positive.
“It was a weird one, because it wasn’t when he was going at full pace that it went. It was when he slowed down.
“He doesn’t think it’s as bad as a hamstring. So, we’ll see. Hopefully we can involve him next week because he’s been superb.
“The way he stretches the line up top is really good. I’m looking forward to playing and coaching Seb this season. We’ll have to assess him now and see where he is.”
The Gills kick off their League 2 season away to Accrington Stanley next Saturday.
Ainsworth said: “We’re absolutely fine with the way pre-season’s gone and looking forward now to the week, preparing for Accrington away.
“It’s nice to finish on a win, but it wasn’t the be all and end all.
“Accrington is the first of 46 be all and end all games, and that’s important next week.
“I’m really proud of the boys and thank them for giving me their all in pre-season.
“The fans were great. We had some ironic cheers when we scored from open play, which is great.
“Hopefully there’ll be plenty more of those ironic cheers this season and they’ll turn into confidence cheers that we’re going to do every week.”
The Gills started pre-season with a win at Dover before tougher tests against Reading, Southampton and Luton. In the last week they’ve played non-league Ebbsfleet United, sent a team to Chatham and then to Dartford to round off their warm-up games.
Ainsworth appreciated that the fans got behind the team ahead of the new season.
He said: “Thanks for the support through pre-season, everyone. It’s not easy.
“Some people go away. It’s been raining. It’s been sunny. We’ve been in non-league grounds, league grounds, Astroturf grounds, everything, but the same faces come and get behind the boys.
“I want to give my all for those people.”
