Brentford 2 Gillingham 1
Marcello Trotta’s second-half penalty ensured Brentford returned to the top of League One ahead of Saturday’s fixtures.
The on-loan Fulham striker converted at the Ealing Road end, where his infamous penalty miss against Doncaster last season cost the Bees promotion to the Championship.
Jonathan Douglas put the home side ahead when he turned in Jake Bidwell’s cross midway through the first half.
Striker Cody McDonald pulled one back for the Gills after Trotta’s strike, but the hosts held on for their ninth win in 10 league games and their 10th consecutive home victory.
Mark Warburton’s side remain strong despite the continued absences of injured duo Adam Forshaw and Harlee Dean.
Recent loan signing from Blackburn, Alan Judge, was superb and forced Gills keeper Stuart Nelson into a full-stretch save early on.
But Nelson and his defenders were flat-footed when Douglas arrived in the box to turn in Bidwell’s cross on 22 minutes.
Nelson tipped another curling effort from Judge over the bar just after the break, but he could not stop Trotta exorcising his demons from the spot after Tony Craig was fouled in the box by Adam Barrett.
Gillingham pulled a goal back almost immediately when McDonald slotted in off the legs of David Button, but the Bees keeper saved well from McDonald to deny the visitors a late equaliser.
Brentford (4-3-3): Button; Logan, O’Connor, Craig, Bidwell; Saville, Douglas, McCormack; Donaldson, Trotta (Akpom 73), Judge.
Subs not used: Lee, Grigg, Dallas, Diagouraga, Reeves, Adams.
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This post was last modified on 24/01/2014