Gillingham 2 - 1 Colchester

DARREN Byfield sent the Gillingham fans wild with an 89th minute winner as they took the first step towards wiping out the bitter memories of last season.

Neale Cooper's re-built Gills side came from behind to beat a strong Colchester team with second half goals from Andrew Crofts and a rejuvenated Byfield.

The striker admitted last season was his worst ever, but his winner at Priestfield on Saturday further underlines the return to form he showed in pre-season.

"I didn't see the goal," he said. "I just hit and hoped, and it was nice to see it go in."

Byfield was quick to praise the style of play under the new manager and he made it cear that he intends to show the Gills fans just what they have been missing.

He said: "Last season was my worst as a professional footballer. This gaffer wants to play football on the ground and that's how I want to play.

"I now want to show that I can score goals. I want to show the fans what I didn't do last season."

Crofts had earlier levelled the scores with 15 minutes remaining with a diving header and he too was glad to see Byfield's efforts paying off.

Crofts said: "He's looking sharp and working really hard in training and hopefully he can continue like this.

"It was a bit of a scrappy game. We stuck at it and it was nice to win."

Gillingham were often troubled by the threat of the lively Neil Danns.

Twice in the first half he came close to opening the scoring with headed efforts from right-wing crosses by Sam Stockley, which had Jason Brown scrambling to claw the ball off the line on one occasion.

Alan Pouton was having one of his best games in midfield in Gills colours, despite still recovering from a swollen knee, while Byfield was in the thick of all of his side's forward forays.

Byfield netted early on but his effort was ruled out for handball. This did nothing to deter him and his trickery set up Richard Rose, whose curling goalbound effort cannoned off midfielder Kevin Watson's chest.

Gills' best opportunity of a scrappy first half came from Michael Flynn, who sent a header inches over the bar from one of Danny Jackman's teasing left-footed in-swinging corners.

Colchester's opener came five minutes after the break. Danns finally got his rewards when he found himself in yards of space to calmly place Karl Duguid's cross past Brown.

The visitors missed a couple of great chances to extend the lead, with Chris Iwelumo's diving header striking the post after he finally shook off the attention of Ian Cox.

The introduction of new signing Paul Shields and Matt Jarvis gave Gills extra pace and presence and it wasn't long before Crofts levelled.

His diving header from Danny Spiller's swerving cross on 75 minutes lifted Gillingham to a new level and for the remainder of the match it was one-way traffic.

Davison had to produce a tremendous one-handed save to deny Byfield's shot from the edge of the box, but he was left stranded soon after when the striker produced a moment of magic.

Just a minute after taking one touch too many and wasting a scoring chance, Byfield picked the ball up on the edge of the area and with a host of defenders swarming around, turned and dug out a shot that wrong-footed the keeper and sent the Gills fans delirious as the ball crept into the bottom corner.

Gillingham: Brown, Rose, Cox, Hope, Jackman, Crofts, Hessenthaler (Shields 61), Flynn, Pouton (Jarvis 72), Spiller (Corneille 86), Byfield. Subs Not Used: Knowles, Johnson.

Attendance: 7,293.

Other League 1 results:

Barnsley 2 - 0 Swindon
Blackpool 1 - 3 Chesterfield
Brentford 2 - 0 Scunthorpe
Bristol City 0 - 0 Doncaster
Hartlepool 0 - 2 Bradford
MK Dons 2 - 2 Bournemouth
Notts Forest 2 - 1 Huddersfield
Oldham 2 - 0 Yeovil
Rotherham 1 - 2 Walsall
Southend 1 - 2 Port Vale
Swansea 1 - 0 Tranmere

Related articles:

Gills boss 'proud of his players
Gillingham v Colchester: the fans' verdicts
Gillingham v Colchester in pictures