A young Gillingham team will take on Whitstable Town away on Tuesday night, days after a game against Chatham Town which they lost 1-0

Gillingham’s best young players get another chance to test themselves against a men’s team tonight.

The Gills have supplemented their under-18 side with some young pros over pre-season as they’ve taken in games against Sheppey United, Sutton Athletic, Lewes and Chatham Town.

Scott Wagstaff’s young side are playing away against Whitstable Town on Tuesday night - where they'll face a non-league side managed by former Gills player Lee Martin.

Gills’ youth boss Wagstaff sees these games as a great opportunity for his young men to test themselves.

He said: “It will be a younger group and it’s a great test for our boys again. We’d rather be playing men’s football than playing the academies, which we will do every week in the season, and this will only grow the boys moving forward.

“It’s about the development of the boys, that’s the most important thing. We want to get them into that first team.

“You want to get into good habits and we’ve got two games left before we’re into the season, which we’re really excited about.”

A youthful Gills team played Chatham Town on Friday night.

Reacting to the 1-0 loss, Wagstaff - who still plays himself after joining Dartford from Tonbridge Angels this summer - said: “We knew it would be tough. We knew what they would be about. I have played them a few times myself.

“They’re a great side and were unlucky last year not to go up. We told our boys it would be a good test for them.

“We knew how good we were in possession but it was about the out-of-possession stuff, how we compete, that was really important and I felt we dealt with the out-of-possession stuff really well.

“First half we were lacking a bit in possession, too many giveaways, too many easy passes, our technique wasn't right and the