Colchester United finished their pre-season campaign with a defeat, as Gillingham ran out 2-1 winners on Friday night.
The Gills completed an East Anglian double in their own pre-season campaign, having previously beaten Ipswich Town ahead of the new season.
U's boss John McGreal mixed it up again with a different eleven to the previous friendly against Ipswich, as he makes his final decisions ahead of the season opener against Accrington Stanley.
And the U's started the game positively, seeing plenty of the ball.
Craig Slater had the first shot in anger as his shot was well held by Thomas Holy in the Gillingham goal on seventeen minutes.
Whilst the U's were patiently moving the ball around, the Gills were happier to press through the thirds quicker and got their noses in front on the back of one counter attack.
The ball was slid through to Martin, who showed his pace before composing himself to lift the ball past Walker.
They could have had a second three minutes later as Parker got into the box, but the U's goalkeeper stood strong to repel his dinked effort.
Mikael Mandron was leading the line well for the U's, and good work between the Frenchman and Slater saw a cross into the box that was cleared before Johnstone could get there.
Ahead at the break, the Gills doubled their advantage just before the hour mark.
The goal came after a good move saw Mandron almost get in on goal, but the visitors then took the lead as Parker headed home from a set piece.
The U's did get a foothold in the game with twenty minutes to go.
Eastman sent forward a dangerous ball to Mandron, who battled hard with his centre half. It then broke for Jackson, who drove into the box before beating the keeper.
And the home side were to finish the game more strongly, as their later substitions added some additional verve into their performance.
Szmodics fired a dangerous cross into the box that couldn't find a U's man on the end of it.
They started to find their flow on the ball in those dying moments but the second goal wasn't quite there for the U's.
The real stuff begins next week and it's a long trip to Accrington first up.