Gillingham skipper Chris Hope showed his goal shy forwards how to finish to bag three points for the first time this season in a 1-0 win at Bradford City.
The centre half led by example throughout the hard fought contest and he popped up 13 minutes from time to head home a deserved winner.
After two successive goalless draws Gillingham were looking to claim their first league win against a side they did the double over last season.
But they were up against a keeper in top form and Kiwi Mark Paston showed his quality with a fingertip save from a John Hills drive after nine minutes.
Talented City midfielder Simon Francis went into the referee's book for a lunge on David Perpetuni as the hosts then seemed to step up a gear as the half progressed.
When Nicky Southall was dispossessed by Lewis Emanuel the Bradford midfielder set up Michael Branch, but he was out of luck as his fierce drive clipped the angle of crossbar and post.
Four minutes before the break Hope put his body on the line to block a goalbound Paul Evans' volley, only for his team-mate Tommy Johnson let him down soon after with a glaring miss.
Nyron Nosworthy and Paul Shaw combined to put Johnson in the clear, but with only Paston to beat he pulled a left foot shot wide of the far post.
With ace marksman Marlon King kicking his heels on the bench, Gillingham's front two wasted further chances at the start of the second half.
Johnson shot weakly at keeper Paston before Nosworthy steered a 14-yard effort wide of the mark.
After a nine month injury lay off King got the call 15 minutes from time, but his first touch fell kindly for Paston.
Referee Graham Salisbury waved away penalty appeals when Shaw went tumbling over in the Bradford box, but five minutes later the Gills finally got their reward.
City failed to react to Southall's corner from the right and Hope ghosted in to send a looping header beyond Paston from eight yards.