Gillingham produced a better performance in their midweek match against Swindon Town but still lost.
The Gills were looking to respond to back-to-back thrashings, and they were the better team before Swindon took the lead, Aaron Drinan netting for the visitors on 66 minutes. Substitute Fletcher Holman added a second late on with those goals coming from Swindon’s only two shots on target.
Manager Gareth Ainsworth made eight changes to the starting eleven for Tuesday’s game, after admitting some of his players weren’t good enough following a 5-0 thrashing at Cambridge United.
The Gills were back at Priestfield for the first time since a 5-1 drubbing at home to MK Dons a week earlier.
It was a much-changed defensive line-up as Omar Beckles, Sam Gale and Shad Ogie came in for Travis Akomeah and Andy Smith in the centre while Remeao Hutton returned to face his former team.
Three players who started against Cambridge didn’t feature. Lenni Cirino, Nelson Khumbeni and Akomeah all dropped out of the 18.
Into the starting line-up came Bradley Dack while captain Armani Little was back in the middle of the park where youngster Harry Waldock kept his place – the 19-year-old’s performance being the only positive of their weekend loss.
Dack was spreading the ball around from the off and looked in a determined mood.
Up top, Josh Andrews returned from suspension to partner Ronan Hale. Andrews won several early headers while Hale was a constant threat and forced visiting keeper Connor Ripley into a great save midway through the opening half.
Ripley was at full stretch to keep Hale’s shot from nestling into the top corner.
Jake Turner returned in goal for the Gills, ahead of Glenn Morris, and he didn’t have a save to make in the first half as Ainsworth’s men dominated.
Ripley was on hand to make another good save after Beckles headed a Max Clark corner goalwards.
It was a much-improved first 45 minutes that deserved a goal. Ainsworth had called for a performance of ‘character, fight and passion’ and he was getting it.
The Gills were clapped off after an impressive first half but it was still goalless at the break.
Gillingham continued to be frustrated in front of goal. Ten minutes after the restart, Hale had an effort blocked after Clark had turned Hutton’s cross into the middle, where the striker was lurking.
The visitors turned to their bench with an hour gone to try and get a foothold in the match, making a triple change.
Gillingham were made to pay for not taking their chances as Swindon scored from their first shot on target. Drinan picked up a long ball forward, got in between the defenders and slotted past Turner on 68 minutes.
Ollie Palmer looked to score an audacious second for Swindon, hitting the top of the bar with a shot from 40 yards out.
Drinan tried to win a penalty for Swindon but was booked for a dive after a challenge from Turner led to the Swindon striker going down in the box.
Dack smashed a shot narrowly wide for the Gills before Ainsworth changed his strikers. Hale’s withdrawal wasn’t popular among fans as Seb Palmer-Houlden and Sam Vokes got a chance late on.
Shortly after the home changes, Swindon scored a second goal with five minutes left to wrap it up. Joel McGregor crossed low for fellow sub Holman and he finished well past Turner.
Gillingham: Turner, Ogie, Gale, Beckles, Hutton, Clark (McCleary 81mins), Little, Waldock, Dack, Hale (Palmer-Houlden 81mins), Andrews (Vokes 81mins). Subs not used: Morris, Smith, J Williams, Rowe.
Swindon: Ripley, Wright, Nichols, Tafazolli, Kilkenny, Knight-Lebel, Drinan, Batty (Kirkman 60mins), Hoilett (Palmer 60mins), Bodin (Holman 60mins), Oldaker (McGregor 74mins). Subs not used: Ward, Mabete, Borland.
Referee: Emily Heaslip
Attendance: 4,991 (297 away)
