BAD news outweighed the good from Gills two pre-season games against Blue Square South opposition over the weekend.

Captain Barry Fuller limped off after just 19 minutes of Saturday's game at Ebbsfleet with an injury to his right knee - manager Andy Hessenthaler afterwards admitted the right-back could be in a race to be fit for the start of the season - while the Gills boss also announced in his post match interview that Dennis Oli would also be missing for four to six weeks after suffering a hamstring problem in training.

The good news, however, was that Gills recorded two more wins, scored six more goals and gave a number of players their first 90 minutes as the build-up to the Cheltenham game on August 7.

Bishops Stortford 1

Gillingham 4

HESSENTHALER took the opportunity to take a look at four new trialists along with Lance Cronin and Stanley Aborah at Woodside Park on Friday.

They were Newcastle United left-back Darren Lough, striker Jason Norville, who was a youngster at Watford when Hess was there, ex MK Dons and Huddersfield midfielder Malvin Kamara and young Charlton Athletic defender Jack Clark.

Reece Prestedge headed an early opportunity wide for the home side but the Gills, who dominated for most of the game, took a 13th minute lead.

Former AFC Wimbledon and Woking forward Norville was fouled in the area by Lynval Duncan and Rooney stepped up to smash home the resultant penalty via the underside of the bar.

Josh Gowling should have increased the lead but fired over from close range but Rooney did double the advantage with 31 minutes gone when he won a challenge on the edge of the area before firing past Ashley Jones.

Four minutes before the break it was 3-0 when Danny Spiller, who'd agreed a five month contract earlier in the day and was outstanding along with Rooney, set up Norville for a simple tap in.

The fourth goal came just before the hour mark when Rooney was left with an easy finish after Kamara headed Spiller's corner on to the bar and it dropped nicely for the attacking midfielder to complete his hat-trick.

Rooney has now scored six goals in pre-season games up to now.

The Blues pulled a goal back in the 74th minute when a through ball opened up the Gills rearguard enabling Leon Antoine to take the ball wide of Cronin and roll the ball home.

Gills: Cronin, Lough (Clark 65), Southall, Essam, Gowling, Maher, Rooney, Spiller, White, Aborah (S Payne 69), Norville (Kamara HT). Subs not used: Sinclair, J Payne.

Ebbsfleet Utd 1

Gillingham 2

GOALS from Chris Palmer and Stefan Payne proved to be enough for their near-neighbours at a sunny Stonebridge Road on Saturday.

Gillingham dominated play again in the first half and Jack Payne had already put a dipping volley inches over when Palmer spectacularly opened the scoring in the 13th minute.

His terrific 30-yard volley hit the crossbar and the back of Fleet goalkeeper Preston Edwards on its way in. It was his fourth goal in as many pre-season appearances.

Apart from a curling Derek Duncan free-kick over and the sight of Fuller limping off there was little else of note in the opening half.

Liam Daish's side improved in the second half and both Michael West and Tyrone Sealy had chances before they actually did equalise in the 54th minute.

John Nutter scuffed his clearance from Clint Easton's cross to Scott Ginty but his weak effort fell to Callum Willock who poked the ball past Alan Julian from close range.

The Gills reverted from 4-3-3 to 4-4-2, pushing Andy Barcham up top with the hardworking Stefan Payne, and they regained the lead with 12 minutes left.

Palmer crossed from the right, Mark Bentley rose at the far post to head forward and Stefan Payne stole in to beat Edwards with a neat downward header from close in. It was a goal his tireless performance deserved.

Barcham (twice) and Nutter went close to increasing the Gills lead but it was the introduction of former Ebbsfleet goalkeeper Lance Cronin with seven minutes remaining that got the loudest cheer of the afternoon.

The England C international, who was expected to sign for the Gills this week, got the chance to wave goodbye to home fans in the crowd of 1,044.

Gills: Julian (Cronin 83), Fuller (Lough 19, - Gowling 54), Nutter, Sinclair, Bentley, J Payne, Weston, Jackman, S Payne, Barcham, Palmer. Subs: White, Rooney, Essam.

New striker Cody McDonald missed both games but having spoken to him prior to the game at Woodside Park on Friday he said he was hoping to get a run-out at Ryman Premier League Concord Rangers.

Hessenthaler said after the game at Stonebridge Road: "It was a good test. We knew it would be difficult but in the first-half we played very well. In the second we dropped off the pace a little bit and, to be fair, they were better for a while.

"All in all, we've got a lot out of the two games."