Gillingham 3 Barnet 0

DARREN BYFIELD netted his first hat-trick for Gillingham as League 2 side Barnet were brushed aside at Priestfield.

Last season’s disappointing campaign looked a million miles away for Byfield as he ran the visitors ragged while providing Gills fans with plenty of encouragement for the coming season.

Byfield’s treble made it six goals in five pre-season outings for the 28-year-old and he could have had even more after striking the post twice.

Barnet put on a brave show in the opening half but looked shaky in defence and were behind after 12 minutes when Byfield hit a crisp shot past Scott Tynan, after Mike Flynn’s left-wing cross had found the striker in acres of space.

Neale Cooper’s side had virtually picked itself following a spate of injuries which gave young Mark Corneille his first start on the right wing and saw Iwan Roberts return to the side to partner Byfield.

The half saw plenty of determination being showed from both sides, with Andy Hessenthaler launching himself at every loose ball and Corneille chasing and harrying down the right.

Roberts had a chance to double the lead, but after taking the ball round the keeper he found the angle too tight and missed the target.

Then, just before the break, he rose well to connect with Byfield’s cross but saw his effort glide wide.

Byfield’s second goal came ten minutes after the restart from the penalty spot after a tug on the shirt from Barnet captain Ian Hendon saw referee Nick Kinseley award Gills a penalty.

By now Byfield was involved in everything and he was giving Barnet’s defence a torrid time and within the space of ten minutes he had hit the left-hand post twice.

Then on 77 minutes he capped a superb display by curling a right-footed shot from the edge of the area past substitute keeper Ross Flitney to the delight of the appreciative Priestfield crowd.

Barnet’s former Gravesend player Liam Hatch then went on to show those supporters how not to do it, as he missed an open goal from five yards before then wasting a glorious chance after dispossessing Leon Johnson, who looked well off the pace.

Cooper introduced former Scottish under-21 captain Jamie McCunnie at half time, with the 22-year-old – who was recently on trial at Cardiff – enjoying a solid game at right-back, while in central defence Trinidad’s ex-Dundee star Brent Sancho looked calm and composed in his second outing.

Danny Knowles made his first appearance between the sticks and comfortably stopped Barnet’s only on-target effort from Louis Soares, while Craig Stone got ten minutes as Cooper showed his willingness to dip into Bobby Paterson’s pool of youngsters when required.

Gillingham: Brown (Knowles 79), Rose, Hope (Sancho 55), Cox (Johnson 79), Jackman (McCunnie 45), Corneille (Wallis 79), Hessenthaler (Stone 69), Flynn, Crofts, Roberts (Backara 45), Byfield.

Attendance: 1,162.