Match ends, Colchester United 3, Gillingham 0.
Colchester United 3-0 Gillingham
- From the section Football
Clinton Morrison scored only his third goal in 52 appearances for Colchester to help them beat Gillingham.
Sanchez Watt opened the scoring - his first goal since October 2012 - when he converted a Brian Wilson cross.
Morrison doubled the lead with a low strike before Freddie Sears added an injury-time third.
Cody McDonald and Danny Kedwell had the best efforts for the Gills, with a 20-yard shot and header respectively, but both were too high.
VIEW FROM THE DRESSING ROOMS
Colchester United manager Joe Dunne told BBC Essex:
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"I think it's probably one of the best performances in my short managerial career. That's how we want to play.
"We were excellent from start to finish. A complete performance. Great credit to the players.
"All over the pitch, we had tight passing triangles, we moved the ball technically very well on what is a very difficult pitch to play on.
"Let's not carried away, it's one win, we are on a good run. We move on."
Gillingham manager Peter Taylor told BBC Radio Kent:
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"I think we had chances to score and so did they. If we'd broken away with a bit more quality in the first half, I think there was a goal there.
"We're extremely unhappy with Colchester's first goal as we believe that was offside - the goal changed the game.
"I think that we were lethargic. We were not right and that's not acceptable.
"I think our heads dropped and we didn't play anywhere near where we have recently."
Line-ups
Colchester
- 44Walker
- 20Wilson
- 27Garbutt
- 6Eastmond
- 4Okuonghae
- 18Eastman
- 15BeanBooked at 20mins
- 2Wright
- 9MorrisonSubstituted forBonneat 88'minutes
- 7Sanchez WattSubstituted forSearsat 89'minutes
- 25VoseSubstituted forOlufemiat 86'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Cousins
- 11Sears
- 12Sanderson
- 23Olufemi
- 26Spence
- 41Bonne
- 42Kent
Gillingham
- 1Nelson
- 23Harriman
- 3MartinBooked at 62mins
- 12Gregory
- 6Legge
- 26Barrett
- 27FaganSubstituted forAkinfenwaat 64'minutes
- 31HessenthalerSubstituted forWestonat 74'minutes
- 9Kedwell
- 10McDonald
- 15DackSubstituted forSmithat 64'minutes
Substitutes
- 4Linganzi
- 5Davies
- 8Akinfenwa
- 11Weston
- 19Smith
- 21Howard
- 24Marriott
- Referee:
- Darren Drysdale
- Attendance:
- 3,819
Match Stats
Home TeamColchesterAway TeamGillingham
- Possession
- Home67%
- Away33%
- Shots
- Home24
- Away8
- Shots on Target
- Home14
- Away2
- Corners
- Home7
- Away1
- Fouls
- Home3
- Away12
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Colchester United 3, Gillingham 0.
Goal!
Goal! Colchester United 3, Gillingham 0. Freddie Sears (Colchester United) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom right corner.
Attempt missed. Joe Martin (Gillingham) left footed shot from outside the box is too high.
Attempt saved. Myles Weston (Gillingham) left footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Substitution
Substitution, Colchester United. Freddie Sears replaces Sanchez Watt.
Substitution
Substitution, Colchester United. Macauley Bonne replaces Clinton Morrison.
Attempt missed. Sanchez Watt (Colchester United) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right.
Goal!
Goal! Colchester United 2, Gillingham 0. Clinton Morrison (Colchester United) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Sanchez Watt.
Substitution
Substitution, Colchester United. Tosin Olufemi replaces Dominic Vose.
Dominic Vose (Colchester United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Joe Martin (Gillingham).
Tom Eastman (Colchester United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Adebayo Akinfenwa (Gillingham).
Attempt missed. Dominic Vose (Colchester United) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.
Corner, Colchester United. Conceded by Stuart Nelson.
Attempt saved. Craig Eastmond (Colchester United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Substitution
Substitution, Gillingham. Myles Weston replaces Jake Hessenthaler.
Attempt missed. Sanchez Watt (Colchester United) left footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the left.
Attempt saved. Steven Gregory (Gillingham) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Attempt blocked. Connor Smith (Gillingham) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Attempt missed. Clinton Morrison (Colchester United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high.
Corner, Colchester United. Conceded by Jake Hessenthaler.
Corner, Colchester United. Conceded by Stuart Nelson.
Attempt saved. Dominic Vose (Colchester United) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Attempt missed. Luke Garbutt (Colchester United) left footed shot from a difficult angle and long range on the right is too high from a direct free kick.
Luke Garbutt (Colchester United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Jake Hessenthaler (Gillingham).
Corner, Colchester United. Conceded by Joe Martin.
Substitution
Substitution, Gillingham. Adebayo Akinfenwa replaces Craig Fagan.
Substitution
Substitution, Gillingham. Connor Smith replaces Bradley Dack.
Attempt saved. Luke Garbutt (Colchester United) left footed shot from long range on the right is saved in the top centre of the goal.
Booking
Joe Martin (Gillingham) is shown the yellow card.
Marcus Bean (Colchester United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Joe Martin (Gillingham).
Attempt saved. Luke Garbutt (Colchester United) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Clinton Morrison (Colchester United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Adam Barrett (Gillingham).
Attempt missed. Dominic Vose (Colchester United) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.
Attempt missed. Danny Kedwell (Gillingham) header from the centre of the box is too high.