Gillingham coasted to a victory over Crewe at Priestfield on Saturday.

First half goals from Bradley Dack and Cody McDonald put the Gills incharge.

The hosts also bossed the second half but were unable to add to their goal tally.

Peter Taylor made four changes to the team which started the League Cup game against Newcastle on Tuesday night.

Joe Martin was one of those four, returning to the starting XI from a thigh injury.

Crewe had won on their last four visits to Priestfield, scoring 13 goals in the process, but they had lost their opening four League 1 games. It was soon to be five.

The Gills started Saturday’s match the stronger and Taylor’s men bossed the game from start to finish.

McDonald put a header and a shot over in the early stages but there was a warning from Crewe, when their giant striker Marcus Haber nodded Brad Inman’s cross narrowly wide.

Within a minute the Gills grabbed a deserved goal. Jermaine McGlashan’s cross had only been half-cleared and Dack bent a left-footed curler beyond keeper Ben Garratt with 18 minutes gone.

The Gills kept Crewe at arm’s length and home keeper Stephen Bywater remained untroubled.

A second goal for the Gills arrived at the end of first half stoppage time.

Jake Hessenthaler picked out McDonald with an angled pass over the defence. The Gills striker, one-on-one with the keeper, saw his effort hit Garratt but the keeper couldn’t stop the ball looping into the net.

Early second half chances went Gillingham’s way. Kedwell’s low shot was held by Garratt and Egan headed a corner over.

Kedwell – with a goal in each of the previous four league matches – came close again with a half volley just after the hour that went narrowly wide. McDonald also stabbed an effort into the arms of the keeper.

Crewe’s first shot on target, after 66 minutes, was a scuffed effort from Billy Waters that Bywater comfortably held. A genuine chance for the visitors came with five minutes left but the Gills keeper got behind Marcus Haber’s headed effort.

Brad Inman also had a low shot in the latter stages but again Bywater was untroubled.

Gillingham almost had a third in stoppage time at the end of the game as McGlashan's header from Brennan Dickenson's cross hit the post.

Read Peter Taylor's post-match reaction to the 2-0 win.

Gillingham: Bywater, Hoyte, Martin, Egan, Hause, Hessenthaler, A Morris, Dack, McGlashan (Pritchard 90mins), Kedwell (Norris 84mins), McDonald (Dickenson 77mins). Subs: G Morris, German, Davies, McKain.

Crewe: Garratt, Tootle, Guthrie, Ray, Dugdale, Turton (Grant 46mins), Atkinson (Leigh 63mins), Inman, Waters (Saunders 71mins), Nolan, Haber. Subs: Shearer, Oliver, Cooper, Molyneux.

Attendance: 4,998 (188 Crewe)