Gillingham 5 Morecambe 0

Simeon Jackson scored twice to guide Gillingham to a comfortable 5-0 victory over Morecambe in League 2 at the Priestfield Stadium on Saturday.

Morecambe started brightly and came close to opening the scoring after 14 minutes when Wayne Curtis saw his header well saved by Simon Royce.

The home side took the lead against the run of play on 21 minutes when an Albert Jarrett free-kick found Mark Bentley unmarked at the back post and his header flew into the top left corner.

However, Jarrett was replaced soon after by Andy Barcham in a tactical switch by Gillingham manager Mark Stimson.

Gillingham doubled their lead just three minutes later when Simeon Jackson latched onto a through ball from Nicky Southall, before firing the ball past Barry Roche.

The Gills continued to push forward and almost grabbed a third on 31 minutes when Barry Fuller saw his shot saved by Roche, before Jackson put the rebound against the post.

But Jackson wasn?t to be denied his second just five minutes later, when he got on the end of a Gary Mulligan flick-on, before cutting inside and coolly slotting the ball past Roche.

In the second half, Gillingham continued where they left off when Bentley saw his shot saved by Roche.

At the other end, Curtis saw his effort comfortably saved by Royce.

Jackson had a great chance to claim his hat-trick on 70 minutes, but his header from Barcham?s cross flew just over.

Gillingham added the fourth just two minutes later when a clearance from Roche fell into the path of Nicky Southall, who hit the ball on the volley before watching it trickle over the line.

Substitute Mark McCammon completed the rout on 80 minutes when he got on the end of Barcham?s cross, before firing the ball into the bottom right corner.

Gills boss Stimson said: "After the first 10 minutes we were a bit shaky. Simon Royce pulled off a great save at 0-0 but after that we kicked on.

"I said earlier in the week that we've been missing a few attacking players and that does harm your team.

"If you have got four attacking players out it is going to affect results, and it has.

"It was nice to see the boys come back today and they've all played their part.

"We've run out comfortable winners and if I was being picky I'd have maybe liked another one or two goals."

Gillingham: Royce, Fuller, Nutter, King, Bentley, Mulligan (McCammon 66mins), Jackson, Southall, Weston (Lewis 88mins), Mills, Jarrett (Barcham 22mins).

Subs not used: Julian, Richards.

Attendance: 4,316.