Hartlepool United 3 - 1 Gillingham

GILLINGHAM went down to a 3-1 defeat against boss Neale Cooper's former club Hartlepool United on Tuesday night.

The home side took the lead on 15 minutes when Jon Daly turned the ball into the net after Antony Sweeney's initial effort had been parried by Gills keeper Tony Bullock.

The lead was doubled five minutes after the break when Sweeney turned goalscorer to convert Michael Maidens' pass.

And the victory was wrapped up in the 86th minute when Lee Bullock headed a third.

Young substitute Frannie Collin powered in a fine goal for Gillingham in stoppage time but it was no more than a consolation.

Gillingham's thread-bare squad suffered further blows after Paul Smith pulled out of the match through illness and full-back Tom Williams had to be replaced just after half-time.

Gillingham: Bullock, Wallis, Hope, Cox, Williams (Johnson 49), Hessenthaler (Stone 63), Saunders, Crofts (Collin 71), Jarvis, Flynn, Harris.
Subs Not Used: Crichton, Corneille.
Attendance: 4,522.

* FOR ALL THE LATEST GILLS NEWS AND A FULL PREVIEW AHEAD OF THIS WEEKEND'S BIG MATCH SEE THE SPORTS SUPPLEMENT, FREE WITH THIS WEEK'S KENT MESSENGER AND MEDWAY MESSENGER. * KENT ONLINE BRINGS YOU ALL THE CONFIRMED GILLS TEAM NEWS AHEAD OF KICK-OFF, A HALF-TIME UPDATE AND A FULL-TIME MATCH REPORT, PLUS REPORTS AND RESULTS FROM ALL THE OTHER GAMES INVOLVING THE COUNTY'S MAJOR SIDES, ON SATURDAY AFTERNOONS.