Dom Jefferies and debutant Tom Nichols scored as Gillingham beat Hartlepool 2-0 in the battle of League Two’s bottom clubs at Priestfield.

The hosts’ starting line-up featured all four of their January arrivals, including Nichols and midfielder Timothee Dieng, who almost combined for an opener within five minutes.

Josh Umerah almost fired the visitors into the lead against the run of play approaching the half-hour mark with a stinging drive that was tipped wide by Glenn Morris.

Nichols’ opener came five minutes before the break as he got the last touch on Alex MacDonald’s free-kick to divert the ball past goalkeeper Ben Killip.

Within 60 seconds of an Umerah equaliser being ruled out for offside, midfielder Jefferies found the top corner to double his side’s advantage on 59 minutes.

Although they remain bottom of the division, Gillingham’s win – their first in 13 league games – moves them to within two points of Hartlepool and three behind Rochdale in 22nd.