Substitute Luke Rooney celebrated his league debut with a goal as Gillingham gained their first Coca-Cola League 1 win since the opening day of the season against a poor Exeter side at Priestfield on Saturday.

The youngster (pictured) had only been on the field four minutes when he confidently swept home fellow-substitute John Nutter's left wing cross in superb fashion to score Gills' third and make the points safe.

Prolific Simeon Jackson scored twice to put them in the driving seat, converting a penalty after only four minutes and then doubling his tally with his eighth in nine games just seconds after the interval, to make it a miserable afternoon for visiting goalkeeper Oscar Jansson who signed on loan from Spurs this week.

Veteran Marcus Stewart, scorer of 250 league goals but playing in midfield, tripped Barry Fuller and Jackson stepped up to convert his third spot-kick in a week, via the left hand post.

Latecomers back for the second-half would have missed his second, coming inside 10 seconds of the restart. Exeter defender Richard Duffy's back header fell short of Jansson and man-of-the-match Jackson nipped in to score his second.

Andy Barcham fired against the bar, beating Jansson to the ball, after a four man move involving Dennis Oli, Danny Jackman, Chris Palmer, who was making his first start, and Curtis Weston.

One blow for the Gills was Mark McCammon limping off with hamstring trouble after only 21 minutes, replaced by Kevin Maher.

Gillingham boss Mark Stimson said it was important that his side won the game.

He said: "We got on the front foot from the start, were positive and went on from there. I think we had enough chances to have scored five though, but it was a good performance.

"We were disappointed it was only one at half-time, but we had to keep doing what we had in the first half and test their goalkeeper more. I felt sorry for him for their penalty, because it went in off the post, and also playing in front of our fans at the Rainham End is never easy, especially on your debut."

Of Rooney's debut goal, Stimson said: "Andy Barcham hasn't trained this week after picking up a knock against Colchester, so Luke Rooney went on, and took his chance very well, and I am sure he will enjoy that, and sleep well tonight.

"He is technically very good with both feet, has an eye for goal and it was a great finish."

Gills: Royce, Fuller, Gowling, Bentley, Palmer, Oli (Rooney 74mins), Jackman, Weston, Barcham (Nutter 74 mins), McCammon (Maher 21mins), Jackson. Subs: (not used Richards, Erskine, Payne, Julian.

Attendance: 5,107