gillingham090704

A 32^nd minute goal from Matt Jarvis was all that separated the two sides as Folkestone Invicta and Gillingham had their first pre-season run out at the Westbourne Stadium on Wednesday night.

JARVIS scored the only goal of the night with a low shot from the edge of the box after latching onto a through ball from Darius Henderson. Jarvis had also been on the scoresheet when Gillingham made a pre-season visit to Folkestone last summer.

But Invicta held their own against their Coca-Cola Championship opponents and probably felt the benefit of having been back in training for ten days, whilst the Gills had only returned from their summer lay off two days before the match.

It was the Gills who had the first chance on an unseasonally wet night as Mark Saunders headed over after just four minutes.

But the home side gave a good account of themselves and responded well after Jarvis’ goal as striker James Dryden couldn’t direct his header into the net when Gillingham goalkeeper Jason Brown came and missed a free kick after 35 minutes.

Dryden was close again after 38 minutes when he met Paul Lamb’s cross from the left.

Home supporters got a first sight in Invicta colours of new signings Dean Standen and Simon Glover and the latter caught the eye with a tireless performance in a new attacking partnership with Dryden.

Gillingham included trialists Matt Bodkin and Patrick Ada Omgba from Cameroon in their starting line up and introduced French trialist Kevin Barallon as one of their many half time substitutes. New player-coach Iwan Roberts watched the game alongside player-manager Andy Hessenthaler and coach Wayne Jones.

Mamady Sidibe was the biggest of the half time substitutes in both build and star billing and the striker shot wide from the edge of the box after 56 minutes.

Mali international Sidibe was then denied by the feet of goalkeeper Tony Kessell after 64 minutes and goalscorer Jarvis shot wide across goal from the right hand side two minutes later.

Invicta brought on Lee Blackman for Standen after 66 minutes, with Dryden dropping back into midfield and immediately shooting just wide from outside the penalty area.

Danny Spiller didn’t make the most of his chance when he shot over for Gillingham after 75 minutes.

Invicta brought on last season Under 16 starlets Shane Spearpoint and Luke Coleman after 79 minutes ,along with new goalkeeper Daniel Moran.

And Moran was called into action immediately when he pushed a Barallon shot from the left away for a corner following a ball from Alan Pouton.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Kessell (Moran 79 mins), Watkins, Lamb (Walker 45 mins), Flanagan, Guest, Standen (Blackman 66 mins), Chandler (Everitt 45 mins), Munday (Lindsey 45 mins), Dryden, Glover (Coleman 79 mins), Hogg (Spearpoint 79 mins).

GILLINGHAM: Brown (Bossu 45 mins), Nosworthy (Barallon 45 mins), L. Johnson (Saunders 48 mins), Beckwith, Rose, Saunders (Spiller 45 mins), Jarvis (Bodkin 80 mins), Crofts (Pouton 45 mins), Henderson (Sidibe 45 mins), Bodkin (Awuah 45 mins), Omgba (Crofts 64 mins).

Attendance: 308