Southern Counties East side Lordswood beat a young Gillingham XI at Martyn Grove in a pre-season friendly

Two young teams went head to head on Tuesday night as a youthful Gillingham side were edged out by Lordswood in a pre-season fixture.

Southern Counties East side Lordswood won the match at Martyn Grove 1-0 thanks to a sixth-minute effort from right-back Donell Sama.

Gillingham’s first team had been in action at Cambridge United during the day - losing 4-0 - but the best of their youngsters were at Lordswood for the evening encounter, watched on by a bumper crowd of 507.

It was a physical game that saw the referee dish out three yellow cards to players from Lordswood and one for the Gills, but for nothing more than challenges that over-stepped the mark.

Gills’ starting XI included plenty of players who have been around the first team, including centre-half pairing Sam Gale and Alex Giles, former Chatham Town right-back Ike Orji and classy midfielder Josh Chambers. Ronald Sithole was upfront.

Lordswood are all about youth this season and they provided a great test for the visitors.

Sama guided an early shot past Gills keeper Toby Smith after the visitors failed to clear. It would turn out to be the winning goal.

Gillingham struggled to make any of their opportunities count and went in at the break a goal down.

Chambers almost levelled shortly after the restart, his low shot hitting the base of the post. Lordswood could only clear the ball to Gills forward Josh Bayliss and he fired over.

Gillingham substitute Kai Garrett side-stepped several challenges to find himself in on goal but the finish eluded him, with a shot that keeper Ivor Williams scooped up.

Lordswood’s regular goalie Tom Crump - a former Gillingham youth stopper - was on holiday and that meant a chance for 17-year-old Williams. He didn’t let anything past him