Gillingham came from behind to beat Leyton Orient on Tuesday afternoon in the Combination Reserve League.

A stunning strike from youth player Tom Brunt (pictured) handed the Gills the victory after Luke Rooney’s penalty had levelled the scores early in the second half.

Rooney came close to extending the Gills’ lead further in the second, with a number of good efforts on goal, but had to settle for just the penalty success.

The Gills, with nine senior players in their starting eleven, got off to a poor start in the first half and were trailing at the break to a Roarie Deacon seventh minute strike.

Youth keeper Daren Hawkes, who was in for illness victim Lance Cronin, pulled off two good saves to deny Ryan Jarvis from extending the lead.

Bad news for the Gills was the loss of Dennis Oli at the break with a knee injury.

Early in the second half the scores were level when Danny Spiller was brought down in the box and Rooney dispatched the resulting penalty.

The Gills dominated the rest of the match, with Stefan Payne and Andrew White causing problems up-front and Rooney being a constant threat.

It was Brunt who hit the winner with nine minutes left, after being set up by Nicky Southall, with an angled shot from the edge of the area which crashed in off the post.

Southall played 90 minutes, as he continues his recovery from a knee injury, and there was also another welcome appearance from Simon King.

Gills: Hawkes, Southall, Gowling, King (Davies 79mins), J Brown, Spiller (Benniman 69mins), Rance, Rooney, White, Oli (Brunt 46mins), S Payne. Subs not used: A Brown, Bourne.