BURTON Albion boss Paul Peschisolido named an unchanged side for the trip to the Priestfield Stadium.
With striker Calvin Zola still ruled out by a hamstring problem, Billy Kee once again partnered top scorer Justin Richards up front having scored his first goal for the club in the previous week’s 2-0 home victory over Swindon Town.
GILLS (4-4-2): Flitney; Fish, Richards, Lawrence, Frampton (capt); Whelpdale, Lee, Jackman, Rooney; Kedwell, Nouble; subs: Weston, Oli, Montrose, Payne, Gazzaniga.
ALBION (4-4-2): Atkins, Corbett, Austin, James, Webster; Maghoma, Bolder, McGrath (capt), Phillips; Richards, Kee; subs: Poole (gk), Moore, Blanchett, Palmer, Yussuf.
HALF-TIME: The Brewers were the first to threaten in the fifth minute.
Midfielder Jacques Maghoma went on a great run down the right, beating two defenders, before slipping a pass to Richards in front of him.
The striker held the ball up and laid it back to Maghoma, who swung his right leg at it but made minimal contact.
The visitors went close again four minutes later when, after left-back Aaron Webster had been tripped 20 yards out, Richards saw his free-kick tipped over the bar by Gills keeper Ross Flitney.
It took the hosts 17 minutes to test Ross Atkins when Albion only half cleared a free-kick.
The ball fell to midfielder Chris Welpdale on the right corner of the box, but his low shot was saved at his near post by the keeper.
However, the hosts went in front in somewhat controversial fashion three minutes later.
Brewers central defender Ryan Austin was penalised for a foul on striker Frank Nouble, despite his vehement protests that he won the ball.
Austin was booked and to rub salt into Albion’s wounds, when midfielder Danny Jackman whipped over the ball, striker Danny Kedwell nipped in to head home from six yards.
The Brewers were back on level terms five minutes before half-time thanks to a goal made and scored by Kee.
The striker produced a superb lay-off to find Maghoma, who slipped a ball down the right to Richards.
Richards twisted and turned and finally fired in a shot which took a deflection and popped up nicely for Kee to head home.
The hosts could have gone in at half-time in front when Nouble jinked his way into the box on the right, but his shot was cleared off the line by right-back Andy Corbett.
The Brewers were forced into a change in first-half stoppage time, with centre-back Tony James hobbling off to be replaced by Darren Moore.
GILLINGHAM 1, BURTON ALBION 1
FULL TIME: The Gills were almost back in front 39 seconds into the second half when Nouble’s pull-back from inside the box on the right was met on the volley by Welpdale, but Atkins, at point-blank range, got his fingertips to the effort to deflect it over.
However, it was 2-1 to the hosts on 49 minutes when Jackman’s free-kick to the far post found centre-back Garry Richards, whose header came back off the bar.
Welpdale reacted well and touched it to Nouble, who fired home.
It was 3-1 less than 60 seconds later when Jackman fired in a low cross to the far post from the right, Moore could not get to it and Kedwell swept the ball home.
To make matters worse for the visitors, they were reduced to 10 men on 56 minutes, with Webster picking up his second booking of the afternoon.
Caught napping as Kedwell burst through, the left-back brought the striker down from behind, giving the referee little alternative but to show him a second yellow card.
Peschisolido sent on left-back Danny Blanchett for winger Jimmy Phillips, but the Gills almost scored from the free-kick, with Atkins tipping over Jackman’s shot.
Albion were reduced to nine men with 11 minutes remaining.
Austin was penalised for a foul on midfielder Charlie Lee and went over to protest to the referee’s assistant on the near touchline.
That earnt him a second yellow card – though it took the referee a while to realise the centre-back had been booked in the first half.
Peschisolido made his final change on 84 minutes, with former Gillingham midfielder Chris Palmer replacing Maghoma.
GILLINGHAM 3, BURTON ALBION 1
