A disappointing defensive performance from Town condemned them to their second home defeat of the season, Gillingham running out 4-3 winners. The Blues were never in front but levelled at 1-1 and 3-3, through Westlake, Couñago and Miller, Gills' sub Mark Saunders winning the three points late on.

The Blues lined up as against Preston last week, however Gerard Nash was unable to take his place on the bench after twisting a knee in training yesterday. Town will be hopeful that Nash is available for consideration next weekend when Richard Naylor will be missing through suspension.

John McGreal was left out of the 16, the ex-Tranmere man another option as a replacement for Naylor, youngsters Antonio Murray and Scott Mitchell late additions to a very young Town bench.

Despite Joe Royle stating earlier in the week that he was trying to rid Town of their slow-starting tendencies, Gillingham were allowed to settle quickly. Kelvin Davis did well to stop the ball at Shaw's feet on the edge of the area on six, the keeper claiming at the second attempt.

In the 12th minute, before Town had even tested Brown in the Gills goal, the visitors were ahead. Paul Shaw was given time and space on the left and crossed to Rod Wallace six yards out. Kelvin Davis looked to have tipped his header over but the ball dropped down off the bar and Wallace followed up to score.

The Gills' goal seemed to wake Town from their slumber and five minutes later they were on terms. Matt Richards played the ball down the left for Shefki Kuqi who brought it forward down the left from the halfway line before cutting in past two defenders into the area. The Finnish international played an inch-perfect ball across to Ian Westlake who beat keeper Brown to his left for his first senior goal.

Town were starting to look like the side which has played so impressively recently, and two minutes later the Blues nearly went ahead. A Couñago backheel played in Matt Richards but Brown smothered on the edge of the six-yard box, the rebound failing to fall kindly for Jim Magilton.

Brown impressed again on 22, tipping a left-foot Jermaine Wright shot round his post. Soon after Chris Bart-Williams almost scored, his header from a Westlake corner being cleared off the line by Richard Rose.

The Blues were the better side at this stage and a Magilton freekick was deflected over the bar by one of four Town players in the Gillingham wall. Three minutes later referee Mark Cooper got his yellow card out for the first time, Nyron Nosworthy going in the book for a late tackle on Westlake.

With ten minutes remaining before the break Gillingham again had Brown to thank. The best Town move of the half ended with Westlake playing the ball low into the box to Kuqi from the left. The loanee striker held off defenders and laid it off to Jim Magilton whose well-struck shot was tipped away by the keeper.

But it was the visitors who would have the best of the late stages of the half, Davis doing very well to put a Nicky Southwell header round the post.

Chris Hope ought to have done much better with his free header in the 37th minute but he sent the ball well back into the North Stand. Nosworthy made a fine run down the right shortly afterwards, cutting in but seeing his low ball into the six-yard box belted clear by Santos.

Town scorer Westlake picked up a yellow card on 41 for an over-exuberant challenge on Shaw.

With injury time coming to an end Town gifted the Kent side a second goal. Over-casual passing had characterised the Blues' performance throughout the half. On this occasion Richard Naylor needlessly gave the ball away, Andy Hessenthaler playing in Mamady Sidebe who calmly beating Davis from the edge of the area.

A poor goal to concede at the wrong time, at the end of a lacklustre half from Town. While there had been spells where the Blues had passed the ball around well, all too often lazy passes went astray, the error from the second goal fairly typical.

Pablo Couñago wasn't too far away from being given an opportunity by Jermaine Wright in the second minute of the new half. With the Spaniard on the edge six-yard box Ian Cox made an important challenge to take the ball off his toe.

Gillingham came close to going even further in front in the 49th minute, Leon Johnson's 25-yard freekick hitting the outside of Kelvin Davis' right post with the Town keeper beaten.

On 54 the Gills would score their third goal. Sidibe had given Naylor perhaps the most difficult afternoon of his short career as a centre-back, and on this occasion beat him on the left of the penalty area. He took the ball to the byline and played it back to Paul Shaw who beat Davis comfortably.

Pablo Couñago tried to hit back quickly with a run and shot which was straight at Brown. Not long after Tommy Miller replaced the underpar Chris Bart-Williams, the former Hartlepool man going to right midfield.

Almost immediately the Blues got a goal back. Ian Westlake was fouled on the left and Magilton swung in a freekick, Couñago flicking the ball over Brown from inside the six-yard box right in front of the keeper. It was similar to a set piece which almost came off at Preston last week and is clearly something which has been worked out on the training field.

The Portman Road crowd, largely quiet for much of the game with the now familiar moans from the usual quarters, began to get behind their side for the first time as they pushed for an equaliser.

A Fabian Wilnis shot was deflected over marking the start of a series of corners where Georges Santos first headed over the bar and then inches wide. From one quadrant-kick Jason Brown was incensed after feeling he had been fouled while failing to claim the ball. However, the Welsh U21 stopper did well to block Kuqi's subsequent shot whilst grounded.

Town were starting to lose the momentum created by their second goal when Tommy Miller put them back on terms. Fabian Wilnis played the ball in to Miller from wide on the right just beyond halfway. Miller played it back to him ten yards from the by-line, the Dutchman laying the ball back to the same player who lashed in from the edge of the box off Brown's right-hand post.

The impetus now seemed very much with Town and the last 18 minutes or so looked most likely to provide the home fans with a winner to celebrate.

But Gillingham had been determined throughout and Sidebe wasn't far away from getting on the end of a right-wing cross in the 75th minute, a combination of Naylor and Davis managing to avert the danger.

Pablo Couñago was becoming more and more involved in the later stages and in the 78th minute he ran in from the right along the byline and hit a shot which Brown tipped by the post. The screaming Kuqi and others in the middle were probably a far better option for the Spaniard than the shot.

Kuqi himself missed a good opportunity on 83, the ball breaking to him 20 yards out but his right-foot strike was scuffed wide of the post when a left-footed effort looked a more profitable choice.

With four minutes remaining of normal time a goalbound Magilton shot was charged down, and that proved to be Town's last push for a winner.

The Gills took most of the injury time play up the other end of the pitch, and with players committed up field looking for a winner Town were caught out. Wilnis was at fault as Southall laid the ball back from the left to Mark Saunders who smashed the ball past Kelvin Davis.

Almost immediately the whistle went and some sections of Portman Road booed the end of Town's seven-match unbeaten run, the legendary Manager of the Month curse seemingly striking once again.

It was a poor Town display, perhaps indicating over-confidence against one of the sides the Blues are expected to beat. The Gills put in an all-action performance, harrying constantly and rarely giving the Town midfield a chance to dictate the game, Wright perhaps the most influential of the Blues' engine room.

Defensively mistake followed mistake — Naylor particularly culpable - with the physical presence of Mamede Sidebe a constant thorn all afternoon.

Up front Kuqi and Couñago were not at their best with Ian Cox doing a good job keeping on top of the Spaniard for most of the afternoon.

Town: Davis, Wilnis, Richards, Santos, Naylor, Magilton, Wright, Bart-Williams (Miller 55), Westlake, Couñago, Kuqi.

Photo: Action Images

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