Two goals from Danny Kedwell helped Gillingham to a comfortable 3-1 win against nine man Burton on Saturday.

The former AFC Wimbledon striker put the Gills in front on 20 minutes with a header for his first goal from open play in front of the Rainham End.

Billy Kee equalised for Burton just five minutes before the break, but Gillingham went back in front four minutes into the second period when Frank Nouble marked his home debut with a tap in.

The game was all but over less than two minutes later when Kedwell was on hand to turn the ball home for his second of the afternoon and was certainly over as a contest when Burton had Aaron Webster and Ryan Austin both sent off for two bookable offences.

Gills boss Andy Hessenthaler made two changes to the side that beat Hereford just seven days earlier with the full back positions seeing two new faces.

With Barry Fuller sidelined with a knee injury, Matt Fish came in for his first league start at right back with Andy Frampton moving across to left back in Joe Martin’s absence allowing Matt Lawrence to come back into the side alongside Garry Richards.

The opening exchanges were pretty lifeless with both sides failing to find that incisive edge and there was a certain nervousness around Priestfield with the home support eager to see a decent display.

In fact, it was Burton that had the better of the opening twenty minutes, spurning half chances to take the lead, but it was Gillingham that found themselves in front when on loan striker Frank Nouble was fouled down by the corner and from the resulting free kick Danny Jackman curled the ball in for Danny Kedwell to head home his first goal from open play and the striker made sure he celebrated in front of the Rainham End where he once stood.

Despite taking the lead, Gillingham failed to capitalise on Burton’s inability to control the game and they were punished on 40 minutes when Justin Richards evaded his namesake Garry and his deflected cross fell invitingly for Billy Kee to head home in front of the 79 travelling fans sat at the Town End.

With Andy Hessenthaler’s words ringing in their ears from half-time, the Gills came out of the traps firing on all cylinders and they were rewarded four minutes in when Richards headed against the bar only to see the ball fall kindly to Chris Whelpdale who fed Nouble to stab home his second goal in as many games.

Burton must have still been assessing where it had all gone wrong when they found themselves 3-1 down when Fish’s ball down the right to Jackman was whipped in by the diminuitive midfielder and there at the back post was Kedwell to tap home his second of the afternoon.

If that wasn’t bad enough for Burton they were down to ten men just minutes later when Aaron Webster was adjudged to have hauled down Kedwell when en route to goal.

Going down to ten did little for the game as Burton put more and more men behind the ball and it completely ended as a spectacle when Ryan Austin was sent off for picking up his second booking of the afternoon.

Rather than going for the kill, Gillingham opted to play the ball around at will, playing out the final ten minutes with ease as Lewis Montrose, Stefan Payne and Dennis Oli all came off the bench for cameo appearances.

Payne looked lively replacing Nouble with just ten minutes to go and showed touches of class that are sure to make him a better striker in years to come.

FULL TIME: GILLINGHAM 3-1 BURTON ALBION

The win takes the Gills back up to sixth in League Two, just three points off top with a trip to AFC Wimbledon to come next Saturday.

Gills line up: Flitney, Fish, Richards, Lawrence, Frampton, Whelpdale, Lee, Jackman, Rooney (Montrose 70), Kedwell (Oli 91), Nouble (S Payne 80)

Subs not used: Gazzaniga, Weston.

Goals: Kedwell (20) & (50), Nouble (49).

Booked: Frampton (90).

Burton line up: Atkins, Corbett, Webster, James (Moore 45+3), Austin, Phillips (Blanchett 57), Maghoma (Palmer 84), McGrath, Bolder, Richards, Kee.

Subs not used: Poole, Yussuf.

Goal: Kee (40).

Booked: Austin (19), Webster (45+3), Maghoma (60).

Sent Off: Webster (56), Austin (79).

Referee: Mr Sutton

Attendance: 4,946 (79 Burton).