RUFC Calais 0

Gillingham 4

N0 REAL worries for Gills as they easily overcame their French opposition in Saturday's bad-temp- ered friendly at the run-down Stade Julien Denis. But the game nearly didn't take place.

As a PR exercise it was far from great. Confusion over the time of kick-off meant fans of both sides arrived at different stages.

Andy Hessenthaler and his squad arrived at the ground from Le Touquet around 2.00pm for what they expected to be a 3pm start. The Gills boss was less than amused at the confusion and at one point there was talk of a return to the training camp although he may have been reluctant to do this because of the large contingent of travelling fans.

Eventually the home side, who had been expecting a 5pm kick-off, began arriving in one's and two's following frantic phone-calls and the match eventually started just after 4pm.

There were plus points to come from the game despite the over-physical approach of the home side and a truly dreadful refereeing performance.

Four goals without reply, 22-men getting more time under their belts including trialists Tony Sinclair, Danny Spiller, Stanley Aborah and Lance Cronin while new signing Cody McDonald, who arrived from Norwich City on Thursday, made his first appearance for the club.

Abysmal defending enabled Gills to ease into a quick two-goal lead. In the 3rd minute Luke Rooney took advantage of an error between keeper Cedric Schille and Benoit Hakda on the edge of the area to roll the ball into an empty net.

Five minutes later and another misunderstanding in the French defence, this time bringing a collision between Judicael Briesmalien and the keeper, allowed Stefan Payne a simple tap-in. It was his first goal for the club.

Unfortunately the inept referee booked the former Fulham striker in the 19th minute, presumably for dissent, and another challenge moments later saw the youngster replaced by Dennis Oli.

The official, who infuriated the Gills bench with a whole string of bizarre decisions, booked four other Gillingham players in Sinclair, Rooney, Alan Julian and Barry Fuller but only yellow carded two of the home team. One got away scot-free after throwing the ball at Rooney, following a heavy challenge, that instigated a 21-man confrontation five minutes from half-time.

By this time the Gills were three up, Andrew White's left wing cross and a miscued clearance enabling Chris Palmer to fire past the helpless keeper.

Eight substitutions were made by boss Hessenthaler at the break and five minutes into the second half Oli made it 4-0 when he slipped the ball past the advancing Kevin Fontaine.

Where Julian had been a virtual spectator in the first-half, replacement Cronin had to make a couple of saves. A dipping volley was tipped over and a low effort touched aside.

An attempted Oli lob was spectacularly pushed away by Fontaine before McDonald twice went close. First he hooked an effort on to the roof of the net after the keeper failed to collect a Spiller free-kick and he then smashed a shot just wide after Jack Payne knocked a cracking ball over the defence.

Gills: Julian (Cronin HT), Fuller (Southall 71), Nutter (Jackman HT), Sinclair (Bentley HT), Gowling (Essam 63), Maher (J Payne HT), Rooney (Weston HT), Palmer (Aborah HT), S Payne (Oli 20), White (McDonald HT), Barcham (Spiller HT).