Town: Luke Daniels, Michael Jackson (Kelvin Langmead), Graham Coughlan, David Hibbert (Hindmarch 78), Ben Herd, Ben Davies (c), Grant Holt, Marc Tierney, Shane Cansdell-Sherriff, Sean Thornton, Kevin McIntyre (Neil Ashton 85)

Subs: Glynn Garner (gk), Neil Ashton, Kelvin Langmead, Chris Humphrey, Steven Hindmarch

Goals: Jackson, Hibbert, Davies (2), Coughlan, Holt, Cansdell-Sherriff

Gillingham: Simon Royce, Barry Fuller, John Nutter, Simon King (c), Gary Richards, Simeon Jackson, Adam Millar (Mark Bentley 68), Dennis Oli (Tyrone Berry 49), Curtis Weston, Charlie Daniels, Mark McCammon (Andrew Crofts 57)

Subs: Stuart Lewis, Andrew Crofts, Mark Bentley, Alan Julian, Tyrone Berry

Referee C Sarginson (Staffordshire)
Assistant Referee (yellow) N Greenhalgh
Assistant Referee (plain) N Radford
Fourth Official R Lewis

Attendance: 5319(364)

Paul Simpson makes the one change to his side by brining in Sean Thornton in to replace Darren Moss.

Gillingham looked bright from the first whistle and were taking the game to Town, they had some good pressure around the box but had a great chance to take the lead after Curtis Weston hit an excellent half volley from the outside of the box but Daniels was equal to it and pulled off a superb save to deny Weston.

Town also looked dangerous when they got the ball forward and within 5 minutes they had tested Royce in the Gills net, first with a couple of half efforts from headers but when Holt headed the ball back across goal Davies nicked in to stab an effort in but Royce was quickly across his area to pull off a great save.

The ref had been a little pernickety with his whistle at times and gave a string of free-kicks that none of the crowd seemed to understand.He did get it right on quarter of an hour when Simeon Jackson got past Shane Cansdell-Sherriff, the Town player slid in from behind and caught Jackson and ref Sarginson had no hesitation in producing the yellow card.

Town had a couple of decent chances to grab the lead, the first after a kick break saw the ball come to Holt on the edge of the box, he didn't connect with his shot cleanly but it dropped to Thornton who was unlucky not to get there before Royce.Then minutes later a corner was whipped in by Kev McIntyre, Coughlan looked to be meeting the ball with his head but Gills captain King got in just in time to nick the ball away.

On the half-hour Town's pressure paid off with a well taken goal from a set piece, Ben Davies swung a high ball into the back post and there was Mike Jackson with a superb downward header which gave Royce on chance and gave Town the lead.

Minutes later it was 2-0 to Town after good closing down and pressure from Holt and Davies in front of the family stand saw the Gills clear, Coughlan rose well to head the ball back to Davies, he then flicked the ball inside to find Hibbert who controlled it well and then cut inside, he had Holt to his left but elected to go alone and continue his run infield before smashing in a great shot that took a slight deflection to lift it high into the net.

There was one down point from the first half after Barry Fuller went in with an overly tough challenge on Holt, he caught Holt with a high foot and the Town forward took umbrage with this, in the end both players were shown the yellow card.Ben Davies placed the ball by the touchline in front of the family stand, he then hit a dipping ball towards the back post, Holt and Hibbert went for it but the ball dropped over them and into the net at the back post to make it 3-0 to Town.

Minutes later it was 4-0 to Town as Gillingham failed to deal with Town from set-pieces.Ben Davies whipped another decent delivery into the Gills box, Jackson headed it back across the goal and there was Graham Coughlan to get his head into the mix to put the ball home.

Town could have had a fifth goal in injury time when another set piece saw Gillingham all over the place, the ball dropped to Coughlan and he had one shot saved and then as he smashed towards the empty Gills net and yellow shirt threw themselves in the way to block.That wasn't the end of it as Town continued to push and from another corner first Holt went close and then Cansdell-Sherriff nicked his shot just over the bar.

Half-time: 4-0

Town carried on where they left off, as did Gillingham.The home side were awarded a free kick some distance from goal, Davies floated a ball in which dropped in the area and caused confusion, the visitors were at sixes and sevens and couldn't clear, the ball looked to be going out but Hibbert slid in to gain possession, he then cut the ball back towards the penalty spot to find Shane Cansdell-Sherriff who guided the ball in at the back post.

The goals kept coming for Town and Gillingham looked to have no answer for the home side's set-pieces.This time it was from the penalty spot after Davies played a quick ball into Holt, he cut across the box and was upended by King to earn a penalty.It was Holy who placed the ball and he made no mistake with his shot putting the wrong side of Royce to make it 6-0 to Town.

With 68-minutes on the clock Paul Simpson made his first change of the afternoon bringing off Mike Jackson and replacing him with Kelvin Langmead, Jackson had started the game with strapping on his leg and had had a lengthy run out at half-time so it looked like the move was a precautionary one.

Things were a little quiet on the pitch with 20-minutes remaining so the Town fans decided to start a little Mexican Wave going, it started slowly but after a few minutes most of the 5000 Town fans were taking part.

Gillingham did look dangerous when they got around the final third, it was just around their own area they looked suspect.The were creating a few little half chances but the Town defence were dealing with these, and if the Gills did get through Luke Daniels was having another great game in the Town net.

Paul Simpson made his final changes in close succession to with Steven Hindmarch replacing David Hibbert and then Neil Ashton on to replace Kevin McIntyre.

Town got a seventh goal after Grant Holt had been fouled again as he looked to break into the Gills box.Ben Davies placed the ball in front on the West Stand, he then smashed in a brilliant dipping drive which flew in at the far post and gave Roche no chance.

Full-time: 7-0