Man City 4-1 Gillingham

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Shaun Goater grabbed three more goals as Manchester City found little opposition from Gillingham.

Goater's magnificent hat-trick took his tally for the season to 20 and City's to a staggering 30 in their 10 home league matches.

The Bemudan international's efforts were all true poachers strikes and he and City could have had several more during 90 minutes of utter domination.

Darren Huckerby scored City's other goal and the only blip was Marlon King's consolation for the visitors.

Goater hat-trick

Andy Hessenthaler's struggling Gills lasted just 18 minutes before the floodgates opened.

Goater stabbed home from 15 yards after Huckerby's initial effort had been parried into his path by goalkeeper Vince Bartram.

Within a minute, Goater grabbed his second when Danny Tiatto's left-wing cross deflected off Guy Butters and gave him the chance to slide home a left-foot shot from a tight angle.

Huckerby capped a tireless individual display with a fine 15-yard strike 10 minutes before the break after Goater had turned provider and crossed precisely from the left.

Huckerby's first touch had let him down twice previously when he was sent through by Ali Benarbia, who once again shone in City's midfield.

Gillingham's solitary first-half chance came when Guy Ipoua was stopped in the City box by a superb tackle from Richard Dunne.

Goater completed his hat-trick 10 minutes after the restart when Huckerby, sent through Eyal Berkovich, dribbled past keeper Bartram and unselfishly allowed Goater to poke the ball into the empty net.

The irrepressible Goater could have had more.

He was somehow denied twice in the 72nd minute, first when his powerful shot was blocked by Bartram and then when his follow-up spun to safety off the post.

There was little consolation for the visitors, but they had a consolation when substitute King squeezed a left-foot shot across Nicky Weaver 20 minutes from time.

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Man City: Weaver, Dunne, Mettomo, Pearce, Howey, Wright-Phillips, Berkovic, Tiatto, Benarbia, Huckerby, Goater. Subs: Nash, Colosimo, Dickov, Horlock, Etuhu.

Gillingham: Bartram, Samuel, Butters, Hope, Smith, Hessenthaler, Nosworthy, Osborn, Perpetuini, Onuora, Ipoua. Subs: King, Shaw, Browning, Saunders, Taylor.

Referee: R Beeby (Northampton).