Darren Huckerby showed his Premiership class with two quality goals to help Nottingham Forest to a crushing 4-1 win at Gillingham, and move his side third in Division One.

Huckerby, on loan from Manchester City, added to his debut strike at Watford with a stunning volley after seven minutes, and then doubled the lead with a cool finish 10 minutes later.

Marlon Harewood added a third seconds after the restart, and John Thompson headed a fourth in the 55th minute. Rod Wallace netted a consolation for the Gills with 10 minutes remaining.

Forest had opened the scoring from their first meaningful attack. Jim Brennan's punt up field was headed clear by Chris Hope under pressure from Harewood. The ball fell kindly for Huckerby, who smashed a volley past Jason Brown.

Gillingham, who went into the game on the back of five consecutive home league wins, hit back, and could have equalised when Roland Edge found himself in space, but the defender fired straight at Darren Ward.

Forest defender Michael Dawson was lucky to stay on the pitch after he brought down Paul Shaw when clean through, and to make matters worse, Forest extended their lead shortly afterwards.

Eoin Jess lobbed a ball over the top that ricocheted off defender Hope into the path of Huckerby, and he slotted the ball past Brown.

The visitors felt they should have had a penalty when Edge clipped the heels of Harewood, but the referee waved away appeals.

Forest all-but ended the game as a contest just 13 seconds into the second half. Huckerby ran at the Gills defence, lost control, but the ball ran for Harewood to drill the ball into the bottom corner for his 15th goal of the season.

Paul Hart's side were rampant, and after Tommy Johnson curled a shot inches wide for the Gills, Thompson added a fourth, glancing home a header from Andy Reid's inswinging corner.

Gillingham refused to lie down, though, and after coming close through Wallace and Paul Smith, they finally got their reward after 79 minutes. Good build-up play involving Shaw, Edge and Wallace, ended with the latter thumping the ball past Ward.

Teams

Gillingham: Brown, Nosworthy, Ashby (Leon Johnson 78), Hope, Edge, Saunders (Perpetuini 84), Smith, Southall, Shaw, Wallace, Tommy Johnson (Osborn 74).

Subs Not Used: Bartram, Spiller.

Booked: Saunders.

Goals: Wallace 79.

Nottm Forest: Ward, Thompson, Hjelde, Dawson, Brennan, Jess (Bopp 70), Williams, Scimeca, Reid (Oyen 74), Huckerby (Westcarr 77), Harewood.

Subs Not Used: Doig, Roche.

Booked: Jess.

Goals: Huckerby 7, 17, Harewood 46, Thompson 55.

Att: 7,277

Ref: S Bennett (Kent).