Gillingham 2 Preston 1

TWO is fast becoming Gills' magic number. And Darren Byfield and Iwan Roberts are quickly becoming the best double act since Cannon and Ball.

The pair both hit the target for the second time in a week, bagging their second goal for the club, as Gills rose to second in the fledgling Championship table. But this win came at a terrible price.

Mark Saunders broke both bones his right leg and could miss the rest of the season as Gills' right-back jinx struck again.

After the euphoria surrounding Gills' win over the once mighty Leeds, you could forgive a bit of a hangover still lingering in the players and fans on Saturday.

But the only thing that mattered was who won the three points, not how they were earned. Which is a good job as there wouldn't be many style points awarded for this game.

This was a war of attrition. On a baking hot day at Priestfield, pretty football was asking too much and after the teams' exertions in midweek. But the game will be overshadowed by the injury to Saunders.

It occurred in the fourth minute when Preston's huge defender Claude Davis mis-controlled the ball and pushed it between himself and Saunders.

Both players flew into a full-blooded 50/50 challenge but it was instantly obvious that the Gillingham player had come off second best. As the players collided an audible crack echoed around the stadium and Saunders was left writhing in agony.

Gills' club doctor Yvette Rean and paramedics rushed to his aid and after a stoppage of four minutes he was taken from the field to a rapturous ovation, which Saunders somehow was able to acknowledge.

Rose, Gills' third right back in three games, took his place as the action got under way. But there was little in the way of quality or goalmouth action.

The efforts of the midweek games had taken a toll on the players. Poor decision making, wayward passing and silly, niggly fouls were making for a stop-start game.

Byfield chose to shoot rather than play in Patrick Agyemang in 15th minute, but he more than made amends just a minute later.

A superb ball from the halfway line by Paul Smith left the Preston defence square and allowed Byfield to steal in and fire the ball past the advancing Andy Lonergan.

Despite the goal, the play continued to be bitty but Lonergan, who had a great day in the Preston goal, could have been sent off for deliberate handball minutes later when he dropped the ball under no pressure and then picked it up seemingly outside the area.

The Gills fan howled for the referee Grant Hegley to give the foul but his assistant kept his flag down and play continued.

But it was the keeper at the other end who wasn't doing himself any favours. Steve Banks had very little to do but poor kicking and a few dodgy decisions could see his place under threat.

His first hairy moment came in the 25th minute when he came to claim Graham Alexander's corner but he got nowhere near it and the ball found the head of Chris Lucketti who powered the head goalwards.

Thankfully for Banks, John Hills was stationed on the post and was able to clear the ball off the line. But nine minutes later, Preston were back on terms thanks to Ricardo Fuller.

Fuller, who only landed in the UK that morning after a trip to America to see a knee specialist and almost missed the team coach after grabbing 40 winks, shrugged off the jetlag to justify Craig Brown's decision to play him.

Paul McKenna's sliderule pass mesmerised the Gills backline and found Fuller as he beat Barry Ashby for pace and he smacked the ball past Banks.

It was no more than Preston deserved as they had been able to cut swathes through Gillingham's midfield without really looking dangerous.

Only Smith, who was having an imperious game in the middle of the park, was doing himself justice in an otherwise average midfield.