Two second half goals in five minutes from Martijn Reuser and Darren Bent saw Town come from behind to beat Gillingham 2-1 at the Priestfield Stadium. Early in the first period John Hills had put the home side in the lead from the spot in a game played in blustery conditions on a bumpy pitch.

There was a surprise in the Town line-up with Lewis Price coming in for his debut in goal, Kelvin Davis having picked up a stomach bug overnight. With no other keeper travelling the Blues were unable to name a substitute stopper.

The first serious goalmouth action of the game in just the sixth minute saw the home side go in front. Patrick Agyemang broke into the area on the left ahead of Matt Elliott who made a stab for the ball but succeeded only in bringing the striker to ground.

Full-back John Hills, reported to be a Town target in the summer, took the kick and beat Lewis Price.

It was a scrappy game with the wind, blowing towards the Town goal and to the Gills' right, having a big effect on proceedings.

Gillingham were probably having the best of it, and on 21 Chris Hope headed a freekick from the left straight to Price at the far post. Matt Richards picked up the first of several Town yellow cards for a foul on Danny Spiller.

There was a scare for the Gills' defence three minutes later when Ian Cox headed just over his own bar. From the resultant corner Shefki Kuqi appeared to receive a push as he tried to get in a shot.

Agyemang was causing Town trouble with his pace and in the 27th minute John McGreal did well to tackle him on the edge of the box when the ex-Wimbledon man had almost got away from the Blues' backline.

On 30, referee Steve Dunn showed a yellow card to Matt Elliott for a challenge on John Hills when there had appeared to be little contact.

Three minutes later John McGreal also found himself in the book for a foul, this time on Agyemang, with many in the Town crowd - and some amongst the Blues' players - feeling that a number of Gills' players were going to ground very easily.

With Town causing few problems up front, Joe Royle decided to make his first change as early as the 35th minute. Shefki Kuqi, who had had little luck in the air against the home defence, was replaced with Richard Naylor, Town's longest-serving player having impressed in attack in the reserves earlier this week.

Kuqi looked unhappy at the decision and marched straight to the dressing room, although he took his place on the bench for the second half.

John Hills and Jermaine Wright both shot over the bar around the 40-minute mark, the Town man coming closer than the Gillingham player.

The nearest either side got to a goal late in the half saw Lewis Price smartly dive at the feet of Agyemang after he had found himself one-on-one with the youngster after a John McGreal error, although the uneven surface had much to do with the mistake.

Tommy Miller ended a decent Town move with a volley from the edge of the box, the ball deflecting over the bar. Soon after Fabian Wilnis became the fourth Town defender to get his name in the book, harshly adjudged to have fouled Hills.

Just before the break Richard Naylor had a shot blocked, the ball falling to Darren Bent, but his shot was little trouble for Steve Banks.

Referee Steve Dunn was booed off by the Blues' support at half-time, a number of decisions — and particularly the bookings - having gone the way of the home side.

Joe Royle decided to make another change at half-time, Drissa Diallo replacing Fabian Wilnis at right-back, presumably to utilise his pace and great aerial ability against the Gills' attack who had caused the Blues' a fair amount of trouble in the first half.

Town started the second half as the better side and Jim Magilton shot over the bar from just outside the area. On 55 Martijn Reuser replaced Tommy Miller in midfield.

Within eight minutes the Dutchman had Town back on terms. Darren Bent had been fouled on the edge of the box in prime Reuser territory, and keeper Steve Banks was given no chance with a curling effort to his right.

Five minutes later Matt Richards played the ball wide to Reuser who crossed deep to the far post with his left-foot where Darren Bent nodded home for his eighth goal in the last eight games.

There was more rejoicing on the Town terrace in the 77th minute, although of the ironic variety, when John Hills picked up the first Gillingham yellow card of the afternoon.

The Blues had a scare on 81 when Mamady Sidibe headed the ball dangerously back across the face of their goal. Fortunately, Matthew Jarvis couldn't get his shot in on target under pressure from Matt Elliott.

A minute later, a fine Town move ended with Darren Bent putting the ball into the path of Matt Richards just inside the area, the left-back having a powerful shot tipped over by Banks.

On 86, Darren Bent almost added a fourth when he ran on to a Naylor ball down the right. Bent beat keeper Banks to the ball, took it past him but sent his tight-angled shot off the post.

In injury time Nicky Southall shot well over from a deep corner, while at the other end Richard Naylor did much the same as the Blues broke.

A ground out win rather than a consummate performance, a difficult surface, a strong wind and an unhelpful referee making playing decent football tricky.

Gillingham were busy, eager and very much in the mould of player/manager Andy Hessenthaler, although there was a big tendency for a number of their players to hit the turf at any excuse, something referee Steve Dunn — who had a very inconsistent afternoon - failed to pick up on until the latter stages of the first half.

Martijn Reuser, a player who always enjoys a good April, came on and changed the game in five minutes, his freekick amongst his best and the cross for the second perfectly teed up for Bent, who is on a fearsome scoring run.

Debutant Lewis Price put in a virtually a perfect display in goal, standing little chance on the penalty and handling confidently, grabbing a number of tricky crosses when up against a couple of big Gillingham strikers. He also kicked confidently throughout.

The win sees the Blues remain in fourth place, five points ahead of Millwall in seventh, a guaranteed play-off place now probably just one win away.

Town: Price, Wilnis (Diallo 46), Richards, Elliott, McGreal, Magilton, Miller (Reuser 54), Wright, Westlake, Kuqi (Naylor 35), Bent.

Photo: Action Images

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