DOVER 0 GILLINGHAM 5

The annual pre-season visit of Gillingham proved to be a useful learning exercise for the young Dover side and, despite the scoreline, they produced a promising performance. The Gills brought their complete first-team squad, and made a number of substitutions, whilst the Whites had to be content with the small squad that they currently possess. The starting line-up for the home side was very similar to the one against Sittingbourne two days previously, though Paul Hyde was recalled, James Rogers took Laurence Ball's spot, and Chris Wright started up-front in place of Michael Smissen.

It was the Coca-Cola Championship side who started quicker, and they took early control of possession. They began spraying the ball about confidently, and made the Whites' youngsters chase after them. So it was not a great surprise when the Gills went in front after 16 minutes. Their new signing Darren Byfield obviously wanted to show his worth to his new employers, and his pace caught out the home defence as he slotted past the helpless Hyde.

The Whites chose not be get downhearted from this however, and began to take their illustrious opponents on. They were playing some very good football, and began to create chances too. Matt Carruthers had a much better game than on Monday night, possibly as he was given the responsibility of captaining the side on this occasion. He was the man who forced Gills keeper Steve Banks into a fine save, to cut out a danger cross-shot that almost found Chris Wright. Michael Lane also gave an inspired performance in midfield, and it was his run that led to a Ricky Spiller cross being shot on target by Wright, as the Whites began to find a way through the Gills' experienced defence.

Gillingham began their numerous substitutions soon after this, with summer signing Iwan Roberts being replaced by Mamady Sidibe, but the Whites ended the half unlucky not to be on level terms, after Welch's volley from a Carruthers cross was just inches over.

Although Dover did not make any changes at half time, Gillingham put almost a new side on, and these players on the fringe of the starting eleven clearly had something to prove to manager Andy Hessenthaler. The visitors scored four goals in 16 minutes after the interval, through Sidibe, Crofts, Saunders and Jarvis, to put the result beyond doubt.

The Gills knew that they had the game wrapped up, and so took their foot off of the pedal slightly. The game petered out a little from this point, especially because the Whites were tiring after putting in a good performance against their full-time opponents. They continued to try their best though, and were unlucky not to score following a superb move involving Skelton, Carruthers, Cloke and Hamshare, but Cloke was offside when he took on Brown in the Gills goal. However, this was a good performance by the young Whites side against a team that ought to beat them, as it should be remembered that Gillingham are five leagues above Dover currently, and so the positives should be taken from the game.