Northampton take all three points at Sixfields.
Two goals in five first-half minutes from Sam Hoskins and Danny Rose helped secure all three points for Northampton at the Sixfields Stadium on Tuesday evening.
Hoskins scored from the penalty spot after Connor Ogilvie fouled Danny Rose inside the box, and the striker got on the score sheet himself five minutes later.
It came following a great run from Benny Ashley-Seal whose shot just inside the penalty area was met by a good save from Jack Bonham. Rose was first to the rebound and slotted into an empty net.
Kyle Dempsey scored a free-kick right on the stroke of half-time, as his brilliant effort gave Jonathan Mitchell no chance.
However, it could not inspire a comeback as Alan Sheehan restored the hosts lead minutes into the second half.
His free-kick from a tight angle avoided everyone and bounced into the bottom corner giving Bonham little chance to react.
Steve Evans named an unchanged starting eleven after his side's convincing win at Rochdale before Christmas with John Akinde leading the line. Josh Eccles and Scott Robertson were the deeper lying midfielders with Robbie McKenzie operating centrally behind Akinde, beside Kyle Dempsey and Alex MacDonald.
Northampton had the first chance of the game in the fourth minute.
Cian Bolger snuck towards the back post unmarked from a free-kick, but his looping header went wide of the far post.
Benny Ashley-Seal did well to get into the penalty area but saw his shot from close range blocked by a Gills defender prior to a Hoskins header which went narrowly wide.
John Akinde did brilliantly to create the Gills first chance in the 25th minute. He got in behind the Northampton defence after outmuscling Bolger and laid it off to Kyle Dempsey. The skipper set himself up to shoot, but it was blocked by Alan Sheehan. In the 31st minute, the hosts were awarded a penalty.
Connor Ogilvie was adjudged to have fouled Danny Rose as Northampton counter-attacked on the left side.
Hoskins stepped up and blasted his penalty into the back of the net, sending Jack Bonham the wrong way.
Danny Rose doubled Northampton’s lead in the 35th minute.
Ashley-Seal did well to get inside the box and forced a good save out of Bonham. Rose was first to the rebound and slotted the ball into an empty net from a little over ten yards.
On the stroke of half-time, Dempsey gave Gills a lifeline. He scored a free-kick from 20 yards out which left Jonathan Mitchell rooted to the spot. From the left of the penalty area, he brilliantly curled it over the wall into the back of the net to reduce the deficit moments before the interval.
HALF-TIME: Northampton Town 2-1 Gillingham
Alan Sheehan scored from a free-kick shortly after the restart. He curled a ball into the area, and it evaded everyone before nestling into the bottom corner. Just prior to the hour mark Northampton came close to adding a fourth. Bonham came for a high ball, was unable to catch it and Hoskins acted quickly to get a shot away. He hit the post, and Rose followed up on the rebound, but it was cleared off the line by Jack Tucker.
After the hour, sub Matty Willock had a shot towards goal cleared off the line after Ryan Jackson did well to get inside the Northampton box.
Tom O’Connor came close to getting Gills back into the game in the 80th minute.
He went on a solo run through the middle of the pitch before aiming a right-footed shot towards goal. It went just wide of the post thanks to a deflection as Mitchell was stretching to try and get a touch.
Akinde had a chance in stoppage time as a ball towards the back post eventually fell to him, but he could only spoon his volley wide of the far post.
Tucker came close just moments later. His left-footed strike from the edge of the area was pushed over by Mitchell and it went out for a corner which was cleared.
FULL-TIME: Northampton Town 3-1 Gillingham
Northampton Town: Mitchell, Jones, Bolger, Sheehan (Horsfall 77’), Adams (Harriman 71’), McWilliams, Watson, Sowerby, Hoskins, Rose (Chukwuemeka 71’) Ashley-Seal (Holmes 90')
Unused Substitutes: Arnold, Missilou, Marshall
Gillingham: Bonham; Jackson, Tucker, Ogilvie, O’Connor; McKenzie, Eccles (Willock 60’), Robertson (Oliver 46’), Dempsey, MacDonald (Coyle 74’); Akinde
Unused Substitutes: Maghoma, Drysdale
Referee: Mr C Boyeson