Ebou Adams scored a quite brilliant goal as Gillingham's latest pre-season friendly ended in defeat at Ebbsfleet.

Summer signing Adams capped off the move of the match as the National League side showed their quality at Stonebridge Road.

Steve Lovell fielded a strong side but Fleet had too much for their League 1 visitors on the day and could have won by more.

Billy Bingham's shot from kick-off forced Fleet keeper Nathan Ashmore to concede a corner and Bradley Garmston bent an early free-kick over the bar for Gillingham.

At the other end, Jack King got his head to a Jack Powell corner from the Fleet left but no-one in red could convert his knockdown.

Fleet went close to the opener on 17 minutes. Good feet from Corey Whitely drew a foul just outside the box and although Powell drove his free-kick into the wall, his second effort ran kindly for Shields and Hadler needed to be out smartly to save.

Ashmore got a strong hand to Elliott List's powerful strike at the other end, diving to his left to push the ball clear of danger.

Luke O'Neill crossed from the right and the ball ran for Josh Rees but his shot was blocked and Ebou Adams managed to clear his lines for Ebbsfleet.

The home side lost centre-half Kenny Clark to injury midway through the first half but went ahead with 31 minutes on the clock.

Whitely contributed an assist he knew very little about as the ball smashed him in the face and bounced into Adams' path. Adams crossed from the right and when the ball ricocheted off Finn O'Mara, there was Shields with a neat finish under the body of Hadler.

Whitely ran at Alex Lacey moments later and unleashed a powerful shot which Hadler did well to keep out.

Dean Parrett had a shot deflect behind for Gills but the home side had their tails up and could have added to their tally before half-time.

Whitely's strength and skill got him away from O'Mara although the defender did well to recover and concede a corner.

Shields then embarked on a mazy run which took him past two players in the box and forced Gills into more defending.

The final meaningful action of the first half saw List head O'Neill's right-wing cross straight at Ashmore but it was 2-0 three minutes into the second half.

Neat interplay outside the penalty area continued into it as Powell's improvised cross was brilliantly hooked into the net by Adams, who had his back to goal.

That had the home fans purring and shots from Danny Kedwell and Sam Magri flew wide as Ebbsfleet pressed for a third goal.

King got up well to connect with a Shields corner from the right but his header dropped wide of the far post.

It was one-way traffic for a while and Adams, given time and space on the edge of the box, forced a save from Hadler.

Gills almost pulled a goal back late on but Ashmore stood firm to beat out a well-hit shot from the right.

Ebbsfleet: Ashmore, Clark (Magri 28mins), King, Bush (Graham 75mins), Payne, Wilson, Powell (McQueen 64mins), Adams (Moncur 83mins), Shields (Coulson 75mins), Whitely (Weston 75mins), Kedwell. Sub not used: Miles.

Gillingham: Hadler, O'Neill, O'Mara (Huckle 71mins), Lacey, Garmston, Bingham, Rees, Reilly (Mbo 78mins), Parrett (Oldaker 78mins), List, Hanlan (Chapman 78mins). Sub not used: Chalmers-Stevens.

Attendance: 1,004.