GILLS trail Crewe by a single goal at the interval as David Vaughan’s thirty-fifth minute strike ended a dire opening half-hour.

Darren Byfield, returning to the side after a knee injury, was guilty of missing two golden opportunities to score for the visitors.

Firstly Darius Henderson had put him clean through on goal, but a bad first touch saw him take it wide, and from an acute angle the striker hit the bar.

Another excellent pass, this time from Andrew Crofts, gifted Byfield a second chance just before the break but he got the ball caught up in between his legs and failed once more with the goal at his mercy.

Crewe’s goal came after some superb link-up play by Anthony Tonkin and Vaughan, which left Gills defence in tatters, and Brown had no hope of getting to Vaughan’s shot.

Before the goal there had been little on offer at a cold Gresty Road, with the home crowd becoming restless, but the Railwaymen ended the half at a canter and were well worth their one goal lead.

Gills: Brown, Nosworthy, Smith, Henderson, Rose, Crofts, Hope, Byfield, Spiller, Robinson, Marney. Subs: Banks, T Johnson, L Johnson, Jarvis, Sidibe. Att: 6,128 (373 Gills Supporters) Bookings: None.