Two Danny Kedwell penalties helped The Gills cement a comfortable win over the Pirates on Saturday to make it eight games unbeaten.
Gillingham took the lead as early as the eighth minute when Lewis Montrose headed home and Kedwell make it 2-0 at the break with the first of his penalties.
Mustapha Carayol pulled one back just after the interval before Danny Jackman’s long range strike restored the two goal cushion.
Kedwell’s second spot kick of the afternoon sealed the win with substitute Cian Bolger dismissed in the process.
Gills boss Andy Hessenthaler made just the one change to the side that drew at Macclesfield with Frank Nouble replacing Jo Kuffour who was prevented from playing by Rovers and it was the West Ham striker that came the closest early on, only to see his dink go agonisingly wide.
The home side didn’t have to wait long to take the lead though as on eight minutes Danny Jackman’s pinpoint cross from the left was well met by Lewis Montrose who headed home.
In an exhilirating opening fifteen minutes, Gillingham could have doubled their lead with Danny Kedwell and Nouble both denied by Rovers keeper Scott Bevan with Andy Frampton’s header going narrowly wide of the post.
Charlie Lee went on to pick up his tenth booking of the season (some might suggest he wanted Christmas off) and he will now miss the two games against Crawley Town and Dagenham & Redbridge, but will have served his ban in time for the Stoke City FA Cup tie.
Both sides were forced into making changes before the break with Frampton limping off with an ankle injury, but it didn’t seem to affect The Gills who doubled their lead in the fifth minute of stoppage time.
Montrose was felled in the box and up stepped Kedwell to slot home the ball much to the delight of those crowded behind the goal at the Rainham End.
With over 7,700 watching on, The Gills should have gone on to close out the game in the second period, but were given an early scare when Rovers pulled a goal back. Charlie Lee failed to control the ball handing it on a plate to Mustapha Carayol who made no mistake careering in on goal before slotting the ball under Ross Flitney.
Not daunted by conceding, Gillingham poured forward looking for a third and they were rewarded on 67 minutes when Nouble’s initial shot was blocked by Bevan only to see it come out to Jackman who stroked the ball home from the edge of the area for 3-1.
Just four minutes later and it was 4-1 when Curtis Weston was upended in the box by Cian Bulger with the referee not delaying in showing him a red card before Kedwell stepped up to tuck home his second spot kick of the afternoon.
The numerical advantage served Gillingham well and they could have gone on to score more as they played some fluent football with Jackman hitting the post, but in the end they settled for four and headed off out on Saturday night for their Christmas party full of the joys of the season.
FULL TIME: GILLINGHAM 4-1 BRISTOL ROVERS
The victory sees The Gills maintain seventh spot in League Two going into the Christmas break with a trip to league leaders Crawley Town next up on Boxing Day.
Gills line up: Flitney, Lee (Fish 78), Richards, Frampton (Lawrence 41), Martin, Weston (Whelpdale 81), J Payne, Montrose, Jackman, Nouble, Kedwell.
Subs not used: Gazzaniga, S Payne.
Goals: Montrose (8), Kedwell (pen 45+5) & (pen 73), Jackman (68).
Booked: Lee (18).
Rovers line up: Bevan, Sawyer, Woodards, Brown, Anthony (Bolger 35), Stanley, Dorman, Carayol, Anyinsah (Norburn 81), Richard, Zebroski (Harrold 78).
Subs not used: Smith, Goddard.
Goal: Carayol (52).
Sent Off: Bolger (73).
Booked: Zebroski (31), Carayol (35).
Referee: Mr Oliver Langford
Attendance: 7,750 (246 Bristol Rovers)