Martin Allen made a successful return to Barnet with Gillingham and said it was a special afternoon for him personally.

Allen was delighted to see Gillingham maintain their impressive start to the season, but spoke passionately about his affection for the home club and their supporters.

He kept them in the Football League last summer and admitted he wanted to carry on what he started but wasn't re-hired.

He said: "I got an email saying I wasn't getting the job, but to come back here today and have both sets of fans singing my name was magical.

"This was a dangerous game for us, so to come out of it winning was great.

“We could and should have got more goals because that could be important come April, but it was good to keep a clean sheet in the second half with some valiant defending, as a unit and a team, and we are still top of the league.

The Gills boss added: "Jack Payne's goal was a great strike, and to get a second so quickly was ideal. Brilliant play by Charlie Allen and a quality cross for Danny Kedwell's header was a top class plan and top class football.

"Although we went in 3-1 up, we didn't feel the job was done. We had to be disciplined and focused in our defending and, playing up the hill, we wanted to score more goals. If Barnet had scored it would have been a very tricky time, but we stood firm and had enough chances to add to our lead.

"It would have been nice to have taken one and killed the game off."