Reading 3 Gillingham 1

GILLINGHAM lost 3-1 at Reading after a hat-trick from striker Dave Kitson.

Kitson opened the scoring in the very first minute, heading home Paul Brooker's cross from the left.

He made it 2-0 from the penalty spot when Ian Cox brought down former Gills star Nicky Forster in the box on 15 minutes.

And he completed his hat-trick 12 minutes later when he converted a second penalty after Nicky Southall fouled Ian Sidwell.

Darren Byfield pulled one back for Gillingham 10 minutes into the second half after good work from Patrick Agyemang and Southall.

But when Agyemang hit the post on 72 minutes, their hopes of a fightback quickly faded.