Gillingham romp to victory

Gillingham recorded their best ever win in the First Division with an opening day rout of poor Preston.  

Last year's beaten First Division play-off finalists have now failed to score in any of their last four visits to Priestfield and they never recovered from going 2-0 down inside the first 20 minutes.

Marcus Browning put a two-year injury nightmare behind him to score twice, with the other goals coming from by Barry Ashby, Iffy Onuora and Ty Gooden.

Preston, beaten by the same score in a pre-season friendly against Leeds in midweek, had the best chance early on when Jon Macken saw his effort pushed away by Gillingham keeper Vince Bartram.

Then Gillingham took the lead, Browning firing home after Preston keeper David Lucas had blocked Onuora's first shot.

Two minutes later Ashby made it 2-0 with a cool finish into the far corner after Chris Hope's cross had caused problems for the Preston defenders.

Gillingham had further chances to increase their lead with Onuora and Guy Ipoua proving a real handful. Both put chances wide before Preston went close through Mark Rankine.

Then Lucas denied Ipoua, pushing his header around a post.

Browning headed another opportunity over the bar from Onuora's cross and then just before half-time Preston defender Michael Jackson headed over from Graham Alexander's corner.

In the second half Richard Cresswell shot wide but then missed a sitter 10 minutes later, failing to get in a shot only six yards out.

Browning then scored Gillingham's third - his second - on 67 minutes and then four minutes later Onuora made it 4-0 after skipper Paul Smith's shot had hit the post.

Gillingham, who beat Preston 4-0 in the corresponding game last season, went one better 16 minutes from time when Gooden knocked in the fifth.