Caretaker boss Steve Lovell guided Gillingham to a precious League One success as they triumphed at Peterborough.

Lovell stepped into the hotseat following the departure of interim chief Peter Taylor 48 hours ahead of the trip to the ABAX Stadium.

And he masterminded just a second league win of the campaign which was secured by captain Lee Martin’s long-range strike 10 minutes before the break.

Martin claimed only the seventh goal scored by the Gills in League One this term when guiding a 30-yard curler in off the far post.

Only two terrific saves in as many minutes from Posh goalkeeper Jonathan Bond denied Josh Parker and Elliott List further goals for the visitors before the break.

The closest the hosts came to an equaliser was a free-kick from leading scorer Jack Marriott which crashed against the crossbar with a quarter-of-an-hour to go.

Another Marcus Maddison set-piece almost took Gillingham keeper Tomas Holy by surprise, but Posh were well below par as they slipped to a third-successive league defeat which was greeted by a chorus of jeers.

The victory lifts The Gills up one place to 22nd in League One with Wigan Athletic coming to Priestfield on Tuesday night with Northampton Town to follow on Saturday.

Peterborough United line up: Bond, Shephard (Kanu 76), Hughes, Baldwin, Edwards, Forrester, Taylor, Grant (Lopes 60), Maddison, Marriott, Miller (Lloyd 76).

Subs not used: O’Malley, Tafazolli, Anderson, Penfold.

Booked: Baldwin (20).

Gillingham line up: Holy, Clare, Garmston (Ogilvie H/T), Zakuani, Ehmer, Bingham, Hessenthaler, Byrne (Wagstaff 63), Martin, Parker, List (Wilkinson 69).

Subs not used: Nelson, Oldaker, Cundle, O’Mara.

Goal: Martin (35).

Booked: Hessenthaler (58), Wagstaff (77), Wilkinson (83).

Referee: Mr Dean Whitestone.

Attendance: 5,257