Cody McDonald celebrates his second goal with team-mates Picture: Barry Goodwin

Gillingham completed a fourth successive win as they brushed aside high-flying Port Vale at Priestfield.

Cody McDonald’s brace put Gillingham in a commanding position against Vale at half-time.

A third on the hour from Adebayo Akinfenwa finished it off as a contest as the Gills rose to ninth in the table – three points off the play-off places and in their highest position so far this season.

The Valiants, sitting second in the division before Tuesday’s encounter, were behind to in-form Gillingham inside a minute.

Gillingham took just 33 seconds to find a way through League 2’s meanest defence when McDonald netted from the edge of the area.

The forward picked up a flick-on, took one touch with his chest to control, and then finished into the bottom corner of Stuart Tomlinson’s goal for his seventh of the season.

Half-chances fell to both teams midway through the first period with Robert Taylor, Lee Collins and Doug Loft all trying their luck from distance but failing to test Alan Julian.

Akinfenwa turned a difficult chance over the bar from close range on 23 minutes but it was his strength that led to Gillingham’s and McDonald’s second goal of the match.

With his back to goal Akinfenwa teased defender Gareth Owen before finding Curtis Weston. He in turn passed to Barry Fuller and the cross from the Gills captain landed on a plate for McDonald at the back post to slide home and double the advantage.

McDonald almost had his hat-trick four minutes into the start of the second half but his low shot from the edge of the area hit the post. Akinfenwa put the follow-up narrowly wide.

A head injury to Joe Martin, who was making his first start for the Gills, gave Andy Barcham his chance as he came on with almost an hour gone. It was Barcham’s first appearance for the Gills since August.

Akinfenwa slammed home the third goal with 60 minutes gone after Matt Lawrence’s shot had bounced off the striker and fallen invitingly to be fired past Tomlinson.

Barcham got the Gillingham crowd on the edge of their seats 10 minutes later with a surging run down the left, leaving defender Adam Yates chasing shadows, but sadly the shot went wide.

Gills: Julian, Fuller, Nutter, Lawrence, Gowling, Weston (Bentley 62mins), Maher, Spiller, Martin (Barcham 56mins), Akinfenwa (S Payne 82mins), McDonald. Subs not used: King, Rooney, Jackman, S Payne, Cronin.

Vale: Tomlinson, Yates, R Taylor (Dodds 57mins), Griffith, McCombe, Owen, Loft, M Richards, J Richards (Speight 56mins), Collins, Roberts (Fraser 64mins). Subs not used: Johnson, K Taylor, Haldane, Rigg.

Attendance: 5,364

Read Andy Hessenthaler's post-match thoughts by clicking here and add your own comments below.