Ebbsfleet United 2 Gillingham 1: Pre-season friendly at the Kuflink Stadium, Stonebridge Road

Gillingham were unable to make their chances count in a friendly defeat to Ebbsfleet United.

Joe Gbode struck late on for the Gills in reply to Lennon Peake’s opener and a penalty from former Gillingham striker Dominic Samuel.

Jack Nolan and Shad Ogie both hit the woodwork for the Gills in the second half, and there were plenty of other opportunities too for the Gills, in an entertaining game at Stonebridge Road.

Gillingham were facing their penultimate test ahead of their League 2 season opener.

Manager Gareth Ainsworth used the game to get good minutes into some of the players who had missed the early games of pre-season. Jonny Williams, Elliott Nevitt, Nelson Khumbeni and Logan Dobbs were all starters.

Missing again was defender Sam Gale, along with goalkeeper Glenn Morris and Conor Masterson. All three were there to watch.

National South side Ebbsfleet were beaten 4-1 at home in their previous match, when they played League 1 Leyton Orient.

Josh Wright, a former Gills captain, named four more ex-Gillingham players in his starting line-up, with Max Ehmer skippering the Fleet in defence after his Priestfield summer exit.

Jake Hessenthaler, Ben Chapman and striker Dominic Samuel also faced their old club.

Gillingham started the match well, full of running, with big striker Andrews looking to get on the end of the balls out of defence and managing it more times than not.

It was from Andrews header that a great chance fell to Marcus Wyllie but keeper Gio Bellagambi saved well from the striker.

Nelson Khumbeni had also been denied early on while Nevitt - making his first start of pre-season - Coleman and Wyllie again had chances to break the deadlock.

The hosts gained confidence from a chance that birthday-boy Peake had