Tuesday 20 July - Pre-Season Friendly - Report by GillsConnect Man on the Terrace

When the teams were announced it was a surprise that new signing Cody McDonald was not included. It is believed that he sustained an injury during the Calais match on Saturday and therefore unavailable.

League One side Posh started the stronger and made most of the early possession dominating the early exchanges. Scott Griffiths sent a curling left-foot cross into Alan Julian’s area that was missed by the defence and just eluded the onrushing Posh strikers.

Posh continued to dominate but without any punch in the danger areas and it was the Gills who fired the first shot on target. Curtis Weston hit a beauty from fully 25 yards that shot just past the right hand post with Steve Collis in the Posh goal scrambling. Gills began to get on top by virtue of them keeping the ball on the ground and with some neat passing to another blue shirt.

Andy Barcham, quiet in the opening minutes, came alive with some typical wing running and he hit a crisp rising shot that Steve Collis watched go just over the bar.

The busier goalie, Collis, had to rush quickly to a poor back pass and deny Stefan Payne who was inches away from opening the scoring.

However minutes later Gills took the lead through Chris Palmer (left), his third in as many games, who latched onto a loose ball and sweetly struck the ball into the bottom corner from just outside the area.

Minutes later from another Gills attack they gained a corner. Curtis Weston put in a beautiful in-swinging ball and from very close in Andy Barcham glanced the ball inside the post for Gills second.

Collis had to be alert to stop the lively Stefan Payne from adding to the Gills score and also an effort from Dennis Oli as Gills continued to create while Posh struggled to find any form or chance of note.

Not surprisingly Posh must have had an inquest into their first half performance and came out strongly for the second creating one or two early chances but it was the Gills who went further ahead on the counter attack.

Luke Rooney (pictured left) put a delightful defence splitting pass into the path of a free running Andy White who was clear on goal, drew the goalie and confidently fired high into the net for Gills third killer goal.

The League One side continued trying to break down the Gills defence and Ben Wright did pull a goal back for Posh when he crashed a low shot pass Lance Cronin from the edge of the area after Gills had failed to clear.

Impressively Gills continued to keep the ball on the deck and pass intelligently and it wasn’t long before Luke Rooney restored the three-goal lead. Andy White ran down the left and crossed for Stanley Aborah (who either missed his kick completely or let it run) onto Luke Rooney who neatly shot home.

Posh were beaten and although they continued to push the ball around they created little in way of clear cut chances. The final goal attempt was from the Gills when Serge Makofo nearly made it five when he hit the post from a tight angle.

Attendance: 1,064

Gills 1st half: Alan Julian, Barry Fuller, Josh Gowling, Tony Sinclair, John Nutter, Chris Palmer, Curtis Weston, Jack Payne, Andy Barcham, Dennis Oli and Stefan Payne.

Gills 2nd half: Lance Cronin, Tony Sinclair, Josh Gowling (Connor Essam 79), Mark Bentley, Danny Jackman, Luke Rooney, Stanley Aborah, Kevin Maher, Danny Spiller, Makofo and Andy White.

Peterborough: Collis, Simpson, Griffiths, McCrae, Geohaghon, Piergianni, Mills (Breeze 64), Davies (Bishop 73, Nthle 79), Howe, Green (Newell 84), Wright