After both sides had lost their season opener in disappointing fashion the previous week, the Gills losing 2 - 0 at home against Colchester United, it was Gillingham who edged an entertaining seven goal thriller at Beechings Cross on Saturday.

However I would imagine that although happy to get the first win under their belt, Gills youth team boss Mark Patterson would not have been too impressed with some of his sides defending. And who knows how the game would have gone if the Seagulls had netted a 59^th minute penalty with the scores level at two apiece.

There were early chances at both ends, for the Gills Liam Geering headed wide and Tommy Murphy was denied at close range by Albion keeper Josh James, meanwhile for Brighton Leon Redwood and Lewis Ide shot wide while skipper Connor Essam blocked a George Barker effort.

The Gills opened the scoring in the 26^th minute when Murphy received the ball at his feet in the area and although his shot seemed to lack power it somehow found its way past the keeper.

Unfortunately the lead lasted just seven minutes. Diminutive winger James Smith was allowed time and space in the area and he fired past a helpless Conor Quinn.

Suddenly Brighton were on the front foot. Smith had a chance of a quick-fire double when he again found himself with plenty of room, but this time Quinn was able to turn aside his shot. Then Redwood fired straight at the Gills keeper and he had to be alert again shortly before the break when he tipped over a far post header from Lewis Dunk.

Callum Day forced James to save low to his right before the striker did put the Gills back in front in the 55^th minute. Murphy knocked the ball forward into the path of Day who ran on to slot past the advancing keeper.

This time the lead lasted just two minutes, a neat through ball cut out the entire Gillingham back-line and Barker ran through to angle his shot wide of Quinn into the far corner.

Almost immediately the visitors had a great chance to take the lead. Ide broke into the area and went down under Callum Davies's challenge. The referee had little option but to point to the spot but Quinn guessed correctly and dived to his right to beat out Barker's penalty.

Day had a goal-bound header thumped off the line before he restored the Gills lead in the 66^th minute. His shot deflected off defender Callum Sherriff looped over the wrong-footed James into the back of the net.

Four minutes later it was 4 - 2 when the keeper could only parry Dean Rance's fierce shot from the edge of the area and Murphy was on hand to knock home the loose ball from close range.

Murphy forced a scrambling save from James but then the visitors struck again with five minutes remaining as Barker once again found too much room in the area and fired home across Quinn into the far side of the net.

Thankfully what could have been a nervy finale passed without a further chance on either goal

Gillingham: Conor Quinn, Ollie Bartrum, James Brown, Tom Brunt, Connor Essam, Callum Davies, Liam Geering, Dean Rance, Callum Day (Arron Beccles 77), Charlie Stimson, Tom Murphy (Ryan Bennimann 83).

Subs not used: Jack Evans, Daran Hawkes.