Marlon Harewood bagged a hat-trick as Nottingham Forest romped to victory over Gillingham at The City Ground.

Forest made a dream start when Harewood gave them a fourth-minute lead. Eoin Jess' corner was headed goalwards by David Johnson and there was Harewood to nod home from close range.

But Gillingham hit Forest with an instant reply, when Andy Hessenthaler crashed the ball home after latching onto Chris Hope's cross.

Then, in a sustained spell of pressure, both Guy Ipoua and Kevin James were denied by Forest keeper Darren Ward.

Then at the other end came the night's first talking point when Harewood looked to be tripped in the box, but the referee waved play on.

In the 16th minute, Forest restored their lead when their claims for a penalty were heeded after Harewood was sent sprawling. He picked himself up and dispatched the spot-kick with ease.

Forest by now had their tails up and they were flooding forward at every opportunity.

Johnson saw a 20-yard effort saved, before Harewood was denied his hat-trick by a brilliant Jason Brown save.

Harewood, who was having one of his best games in a Forest shirt, then rolled a shot agonisingly wide, before Johnson headed narrowly over from a terrific Jim Brennan cross.

Ten minutes before the break, Forest increased their lead and it was that man Harewood again who was at the fore.

French defender Matthieu Louis-Jean fed Harewood down the right flank and yet again he beat his marker before squaring for the unmarked Johnson to roll the ball home to give the hosts a deserved 3-1 lead at the break.

The second period was always going to struggle to live up to the intensity of the first and the half was a fully 15 minutes old before the first chance came for either side.

After a scramble in the visitors' box, Johnson turned and blasted a shot narrowly over the bar.

From the goal kick, David Perpetuini raced down the other end and, from the edge of the Forest box, curled a left-footer a foot over Ward's crossbar.

Forest began to up the tempo again, Harewood bursting into the Gills' half and had Jess wide open on the left, but decided to use Johnson instead.

The striker opted to go on rather than pass to the Scot and he was closed out.

Harewood claimed his hat-trick. Johnson tricked his way to the by-line and, seeing Harewood in space, slid the ball across the penalty area and the young forward smashed the ball home to give the Reds a 4-1 lead.

Nottm Forest: Ward, Louis-Jean, Dawson, Walker, Brennan, Bopp, Williams, Prutton, Jess, Johnson, Harewood. Subs: Hjelde, Roche, Doig, Lester, Reid.

Gillingham: Brown, Saunders, Ashby, Hope, Edge, Smith, Hessenthaler, Shaw, James, Ipoua, Perpetuini. Subs: Bartram, Leon Johnson, Rose, Pennock, Awuah.

Referee: R Pearson (Co Durham)