Erith & Belvedere 0 Gillingham 5
By Luke Cawdell

Danny Kedwell netted his first goal in a Gills shirt as they coasted to victory against Erith & Belvedere on Tuesday night.

Luke Rooney took his pre-season tally to four goals as the Gills fielded a strong team against their Kent League opponents.

They were three goals ahead at the break, with two goals from in-form forward Rooney and one from Garry Richards.

Gillingham took until the 85th minute to score the fourth when Kedwell, pictured, followed in to score after Dionisis Liosatos’ shot was saved. Trialist Paris-Cowan Hall netted the fifth and final goal for the Gills.

There was still some rustiness in the Gills team, unsurprising as this was only their third test of the summer. In the end it was a comfortable win for Andy Hessenthaler’s men.

Gillingham took 10 minutes to take the lead after Garry Richards rose to head home Chris Whelpdale’s cross.

Just two minutes later and Rooney, with a goal in each of the first two games, netted again after the Gills beat Erith’s offside trap. Charlie Lee found Whelpdale and his cross was guided home by the Gills youngster.

A third Gillingham goal came on 29 minutes with Rooney scoring from outside of the area, after making space for himself.

Goal number four should have come soon after, through Dennis Oli, but the striker hit the post when put through by Stefan Payne.

The Gills fielded a number of trialists in the second half. Among the travelling party was Faversham defender Jack Baldwin, former Gills youngster Jones Awuah and ex Stockport youngster Matt Kosylo.

Greek forward Liosatos was again involved, while former Stockport and Scunthorpe winger Cowan-Hall came on after the break. Also included was Argentinian keeper Paolo Gazzaniga and Shane Defoe, the half brother of Tottenham’s Jermain.

There was little goalmouth action in the second half and Lee hit a low effort wide just after the hour. He took a knock in the process and was substituted as a precaution.

Gazzaniga’s first contribution to the game was poor, as his goal kick went straight to Erith’s Andy Constable, but he made amends with a great save from the subsequent shot low to his left.

Erith keeper Richard Stroud also had to stretch at the other end to deny Kosylo, after Defoe had created the opportunity seconds after coming on.

Kedwell opened his account for the Gills with five minutes remaining, scoring with a poacher’s finish from close range. Kedwell spurned a great chance a minute later, firing over the bar.

The game was rounded off when Cowan-Hall picked up Kedwell’s cross before shooting in low past the keeper.

Gillingham: Flitney (Gazzaniga 63mins), Fish, Martin, Lee (Brunt 66mins), King (Baldwin 71mins), Richards (Davies 76mins), Whelpdale (Liosatos 63mins), Weston (Defoe 79mins), Rooney (Kosylo 57mins), S Payne (Cowan-Hall 46mins), Oli (Kedwell 57mins). Sub not used: Awuah.

Picture: Barry Goodwin