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Brandon Hanlan got off the mark for his new club on Saturday - but then received an elbow from another former Gillingham player.
It was a bit like a who's who of ex-Gills at the Memorial Stadium, with Hanlan firing home a 55th minute penalty for Bristol Rovers past former Gillingham back-up keeper Steve Arnold in the Northampton Town goal.
Hanlan's trickery in the box led to him being tripped and he confidently dispatched the resulting penalty into the roof of the net.
Joe Martin, who played over 150 games for the Priestfield club between 2010 and 2015, was then involved in a clash with Hanlan, just a few minutes after the striker had broken his duck for Rovers in the League 1 fixture.
Martin was sent off for an arm in the face of Hanlan.
The Rovers twitter account described it as a "rogue elbow" which led to a second caution for Martin.
Rovers, captained by Max Ehmer and with former Gills youngster Josh Hare playing right-back, went onto double their lead, winning the game 2-0. Jack Baldwin - a one-time Gills trialist - got their second. Hare could have made it more but was denied by the crossbar.
Victory was Rovers' first in their opening four League 1 fixtures.
For Hanlan, it was also a first goal in his opening four games for his new team, having made the summer switch to join Ehmer at Rovers.
Gillingham head to the Memorial Stadium for a meeting with their former players on Tuesday, December 1.
*Former Gills keeper Tom Hadler, meanwhile, was the hero for Ebbsfleet United in their shootout win over Hastings in the third qualifying round of the FA Cup.
Gills' development manager Craig Stone, playing for Hastings, conceded a penalty early in the match, which was converted by Lee Martin, another Gills old boy. Click here for the match report .
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