Gillingham beat Tonbridge Angels thanks to a late John Egan effort.

Luke Norris put the Gills ahead at the end of the first half but the hosts levelled midway through the second.

Egan was the man to fire the Gills back infront late in the game, to make it two wins from two for Justin Edinburgh's side in pre-season.

In backing heat, it was certainly a test of attrition for both teams at Tonbridge’s Longmead Stadium.

A downer for the Gills was the loss of defender Josh Hare. He was stretchered off with a knee injury, 25 minutes in. He missed half of the previous campaign with a ruptured knee ligament.

Before the match there was a laying of flowers to mark the recent death of Tonbridge trialist Junior Dian, who died following a pre-season game on Tuesday night.

Cody McDonald, who captained the Gills in the absence of Doug Loft, laid a wreath on behalf of the visitors. Many of Dian’s friends and family were present in a crowd of just under 800.

Former Reading midfielder Ryan Edwards started both halves for the Gills, who again made wholesale changes at the break.

The 21-year-old former Australian under-23 international was released by Reading at the end of last season.

Edwards was overshadowed in the middle, however, by youngster Emmanuel Osadebe, who had two good chances in the first half.

The Gills had keeper Stuart Nelson to thank for keeping the scores level at 0-0, making two good saves from Tom Phipp.

The second save was the best, reaching at full-stretch to palm away a close-range header from the Tonbridge man.

Luke Blewden also volleyed wide for the hosts, who certainly gave the Gills more of a test than their midweek hosts Folkestone.

Egan, who replaced Hare in the first half and Mitchell Dickenson, both stayed out for the second half. The rest of the players were replaced.

Gills boss Edinburgh stuck with the same formation for both halves, with a 3-5-2 formation with wing-backs. Max Ehmer marshalled the defence in the first half and Egan did likewise in the second.

Tonbridge levelled with 68 minutes gone. Egan was unable to get enough power on the header back to goal, home sub Tom Pearson nicked the ball, rounded keeper Glenn Morris and rolled it home.

Edwards was involved more in the second half as the Gills' superior fitness shone through and the hosts tired.

It was an Edwards cross that led to the winner, which Egan guided home.

Gills (1 half): Nelson, Hare (Egan 33mins), Ehmer, M Dickenson, McGlashan, Osadebe, Edwards, Dack, McDonald (c), Norris, B Dickenson.

Gills (2 half): G Morris, Jackson, A Morris, Egan (c), Dickenson, Garmston, Edwards, Hessenthaler, Freiter, Williamson, Donnelly.

Tonbridge: Di Bernado, Folkes, Parter, Carey, Ball, Miles, Phipp, Wheeler, Blewden, Parkinson, Webster. Subs: Elder, Whitnell, Slocombe, Pearson, Riascos.

Attendance: 796