Gillingham goalie Glenn Morris gambled on Charlton new-boy Alfie May ‘playing it safe’ as he kept out the striker’s penalty on Tuesday night.

May was playing his first game for the Addicks in England, having scored during his debut on Friday while on tour in Spain. His first game back was against the Gills - a club who offered big money to try and sign him from Cheltenham Town.

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Morris’ penalty save was a little win for the Gills - not that the keeper saw it that way.

“I am sure the fans were happy with it,” said the 39-year-old, after the 3-1 defeat. “It didn’t come into my thought process at the time but luckily I got a little read on him and that is what penalties are all about.

“It was nice. It was a manic second half. I felt I didn’t have much chance for the goals, it is one of them, you get a chance for a penalty save and they are what they are. You go one way and you save it, it was good, happy with that.

“There are some other things we can work on as a team but I am pleased with that.”

Morris says he goes on instinct for a lot of his penalties, sussing out the striker before deciding which way to go.

He said: “I like to do it on a bit of instinct and a little bit of a read on them. It was his first game (in England) and I felt that he might go a little bit safe, that’s what I thought and luckily he did.

“I didn’t have any inside knowledge, just a bit of a read, and I was just pleased it didn’t go back in off the post, because it went back across the goal.”

He added: “Penalties are a big moment for a goalkeeper, an element of luck in it, but also a bit of skill in reading them, you enjoy it when you save them, more so when it matters more, but that was good. I enjoyed it.”

Gillingham played well in the first half against Charlton, battling back from a goal down to level through Will Wright’s free-kick, but they couldn’t add to that goal.

The Addicks got a foothold on the game second half and eased to a 3-1 win.

Morris said: “There were some good moments, good patterns of play, the build-up, it was very pleasing in that sense, we could just have been more ruthless in the scoring but we were pleased. Second half they came out well.

“There have been loads of positives in pre-season. It has been good and there’s another game on Saturday (away to Dartford). We keep ticking them off and we’ll be ready for the main event.

“We had a good second half of last season. If we carry that on we’ll be in a good position, but that first game at Stockport will be a real test and one we’re looking forward to.”