Adrian Foster scored twice as Gillingham moved out of the relegation zone with a 4-1 thumping of Fulham at Priestfield.
The Gills scored four in a league match for the first time since January 1993 and ran away with this local derby after Robbie Reinelt stepped forward to edge the hosts ahead in the last minute of a tight first half. Reinelt fired home his fourth goal of the season from the edge of the area after Foster had miscued from Mick Bodley’s short free-kick.
Fulham were penned back at the start of the second period as the hosts sought a killer second goal. Chris Pike, Foster and Richard Carpenter all spurned good chances to score before Stannard palmed another effort from Foster onto the far post after excellent work from the impressive Reinelt.
It was former Queens Park Rangers midfielder Gary Micklewhite, passed fit only an hour before kick off, who scored the second goal just after the hour mark. Foster foraged through the middle of the Fulham midfield and found Micklewhite wide out on the right and despite the angle appearing far too acute, the 33 year-old curled a sumptuous strike past Stannard and into the corner of the net.
Fulham captain Simon Morgan saw a shot clawed away by Steve Banks before Foster rubbed salt into their wounds by heading home his first of the afternoon from a Micklewhite corner in the 78th minute. Morgan did score a consolation two minutes later but Foster had the last word, flicking a fine finish into the net after Pike had robbed Mark Blake of the ball and played him in.
GILLINGHAM: Banks; Arnott, Bodley, Carpenter, Butler, Green, Micklewhite, Smith, Foster, Pike, Reinelt. Subs (not used): Hutchinson, Ramage, Barrett.
GOALS: Reinelt (44), Micklewhite (63), Foster (78, 82).
FULHAM: Stannard; Jupp, Herrera, Hurlock, Moore, Blake, Ferney, Morgan, Cusack, Brazil, Hamill. Subs: Harrison, Angus, Mison.
GOAL: Morgan (80).
ATTENDANCE: 4,677.
