Oldham Athletic 2 Gillingham 0

IT HAS been a disappointing first 45 minutes for Gillingham, who find themselves two goals down to Oldham at Boundary Park.

The Gills are looking for a fourth straight win, but they got off to a nightmare start as the home side took a fourth-minute lead when Andy Liddell's cross was turned in by Will Haining.

And things got worse for the visitors as Oldham doubled their advantage inside 25 minutes.

Ronnie Jepson's side were caught light at the back as the home side broke from a Gills corner and Chris Porter made them pay.

It should have been 3-0 just before the half hour as Oldham threatened again, but Gary McDonland shot wide from close range.

Then Porter spurned an excellent opportunity after Danny Jackman's error, but Ian Cox did well to bloack his shot.

The closest Gillingham have come was a seventh-minute Andrew Crofts volley, but it went comfortably wide.

The Gills look a shadow of the side that has performed so well recently and will have to produce something spectacular in the second half if they are to take anything from this game.

Gillingham: Flinders, Jupp, Cox, Johnson, Jackman, Bentley, Crofts, Flynn, Easton, Jarvis, Mulligan
Subs: Clohessy, Pouton, Spiller, McDonald, Ndumbu-Nsungu.