Luke Rooney scored twice for Gillingham reserves on Wednesday afternoon as they beat Crawley Town 2-1.

Rooney could have had a first half hat-trick but struck a penalty against the post after Stefan Payne had been fouled in the box.

Gills were already two goals up by then and it was Rooney who had fired them ahead with little over a minute on the clock. His free-kick took a deflection to wrong-foot the visiting keeper and hand Gillingham the lead.

The Gills went 2-0 ahead on 34 minutes when player-coach Nicky Southall rolled a free-kick into the youngster’s path and he slotted home from 20 yards.

A foul on Stefan Payne led to the penalty on 40 minutes but Rooney was unable to convert and Payne was unable to take advantage of the rebound.

Crawley pulled a goal back on 71 minutes after Southall’s back-pass put keeper Lance Cronin in trouble. His clearance hit Wayne Eason and the substitute netted into an empty net.

Gills: Cronin, Southall, Evans, Essam, Gowling, Fisher (Dack 81mins), Rooney, Inkango, White, S Payne (Davies 68mins), Benniman (Hessenthaler 83mins). Subs not used: Parter, Hawkes.