Gillingham 0 Millwall 0 - Pre-season friendly at Priestfield Stadium

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