Gillingham

23

Julian

5

King

3

Nutter

6

Richards

2

Fuller

11

Southall *

8

Bentley

7

Crofts

30

McCammon **

10

Jackson

14

Miller ***

On The Bench

13

Kiely

19

Clohessy

Mills

4

Lewis

6

Berry * (63)

9

Mulligan ** (63)

21

Oli *** (63)

Colchester

22

Gerken

18

Ifil

16

Heath

6

Reid

2

White

24

Vernon

27

Wordsworth

8

Hammond

7

Yeates *

10

Izzet

9

Platt

On The Bench

23

Cousins

5

Coyne

3

Lockwood

Jackson

30

Elito * (71)

29

Batchelor

14

Wasiu

The hosts should have led after four minutes. Simeon Jackson's deft touch released Mark McCammon but the summer signing from Doncaster took one touch too many and his eventual effort was smothered by Us goalkeeper Dean Gerken.

The miss proved costly seven minutes later when the Gills' defence failed to deal with Mark Yeates' inswinging free-kick. Paul Reid flicked on and Heath, Geraint Williams' summer signing from Leeds, headed home off the underside of the bar despite debutant keeper Alan Julian's parry.

Jackson might have levelled within two minutes but he saw his venomous strike beaten over by Gerken and the hosts again went close when Adam Miller fizzed a free-kick inches wide.

Gills boss Mark Stimson made a triple substitution just after the hour, introducing Gary Mulligan, Dennis Oli and Tyrone Berry in a bid to turn the tide, but it took a stunning save by Julian from Kemal Izzet to keep the deficit at 1-0.

Jackson twice went close with stinging efforts as Gillingham pressed but the visitors hung on to claim the win