By Chris Dicketts

The first team continued their impressive pre-season form with a three-nil victory over Braintree on Sunday afternoon.

New signing Danielle Carlton scored her first goal for the Gills and of pre-season and Ashlee Hincks bagged an impressive brace.

Ian Varley named an experimental Gills team as he looked to give as many of his players game time as possible.

The conditions at Colchester's shrub end were far from ideal as the Gills turned up to play on a pitch that was likened to concrete, however they stuck to their task and ran out comfortable winners.

The Ladies started well and controlled the majority of the games and always looked to play flowing football on a difficult surface.

They had a number of chances throughout the first half and good have taken the lead at any opportunity through one of Lauren Phillips, Danni Farmer or Ashlee Hincks.

It was therefore a surprise that the deadlock wasn't broken until the 38^th minute thanks to a well taken goal by Danielle Carlton.

Danni Farmer showed her quality in the middle of the park with some superb footwork. She played a ball to Ash Hincks who pulled the ball across the box where Carlton applied an expert finish with her right foot to make it 1-0.

Half Time 0-1

The Gills came out in the second half and picked up where they left off in the first creating numerous good chances to further add to the score.

They did go further ahead in the 55^th minute when Vicky Ashton-Jones played a wonderful pass into the feet of striker Ashlee Hincks. She turned and hit a shot in the same movement into the corner of the net to make it 2-0.

Just after the hour mark and the Gills put the result beyond doubt when they added a third goal that the build up play warranted.

Ashlee Hincks went on a mazy run that saw her take on and beat four Braintree defenders by herself before placing the ball past the keeper from an improbable angle.

After the goal the Gills continued to create chances at will and Laura Jeffery, Danni Farmer, Natalie Crinean and Danielle Carlton all went close to adding that elusive fourth goal.

The rest of the game became disjointed as both teams made multiple changes to give players a rest and take a look at others.

The Gills bounced back well from defeat to Millwall on Thursday evening to beat Braintree and make it just one defeat in four pre-season games.

Full Time 0-3

Gills: Nunn, Williams, Cheedy, Lyon (c), McConville, Farbrace, Farmer, Ashton-Jones, Carlton, Hincks, Phillips