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Gills ease to Vale victory

Image: Whelpdale: On target

Early goals from Deon Burton and Chris Whelpdale gave Gillingham a 2-0 victory in their top-of-the-table battle at Port Vale.

The Gills made all the early running and Vale survived a couple of scares before the much-travelled Burton, who will be 36 next month, opened the scoring in the 11th minute. Debutant Robbie Findley, on loan from Nottingham Forest, chipped a cross from the right byline and Burton made no mistake with a six-yard header at the far post. Burton and Findley proved too much for Vale's cumbersome defenders and Whelpdale cracked a second for the Gills in the 25th minute. The midfielder's run to the right of the penalty area went unchecked and he drove a 14-yard shot into the roof of the net from Danny Jackman's pass. Sam Morsy, Tom Pope and Jennison Myrie-Williams all threatened as a shell-shocked Vale finally woke from their slumber as half-time approached. Gillingham were content to protect their lead in the second half and did so in comfort, apart from a 68th-minute free-kick from Myrie-Williams which clipped the top of the crossbar.

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