Swindon Town suffered a 3-0 defeat at Priestfield with goals from Darren Byfield, Mike Flynn and Neil Harris condemning Town to a disappointing defeat.

Town Manager Iffy Onuora made one change for the trip to his former club Gillingham with Charlie Comyn-Platt returning to the starting line-up in midfield. New signing Paul Smith was named on the bench against the club where he spent so many seasons.

Town's first opportunity came with just over a minute on the clock. A long goal-kick from Evans was headed on, with Rory Fallon flicking the ball on to Brown, who on the edge of the area, hit a shot well wide.

At the other end the home side's first real attempt was a long-range effort from Mike Flynn who picked up a cleared effort from a Gills corner but hit the ball into the roof of the Rainham Stand. With just over five minutes on the clock Darren Byfield hit an ambitious shot from 25-yards on the angle which just dipped over the bar.

Town suffer a disappointing away defeat at Priestfield.

Rhys Evans was called into action for the first time in the 9^th minute as he turned away a Danny Spiller effort from 14-yards just wide before Byfield headed over the resulting corner.

Charlie Comyn-Platt forced a great save out of home keeper Brown on 11 minutes. Steve Jenkins floated a lengthy free-kick into the box, which was headed on by Fallon with Comyn-Platt heading the ball towards the corner from 6-yards only to be denied by Brown's save.

After surviving a succession of corners from the home side, Town hit back with an attack of their own. Jenkins' throw was met by Miglioranzi who drilled a low cross into the box which was met by Fallon whose attempt was easily gathered by Brown.

Howver, the Gillingham pressure eventually told as they opened the scoring on 19 minutes. Danny Spiller found space on the edge of the box and after turning his man hit a deep cross in which was fumbled by Evans, who had come to collect, and fell to Darren Byfield who was left with a simple tap in.

After conceding Town battled back and came close to an equaliser through Comyn-Platt who smashed a 25-yard effort just over before Cureton headed straight at Brown from a Fallon cross on 28 minutes. With Town coming back into the game, Comyn-Platt again forced a save from Brown from the edge of the box - with Brown certainly the busier of the two keepers after the goal.

Town had a penalty appeal waved away four minutes before the break. Leon Johnson tangled with Sean O'Hanlon was a corner came in and with O'Hanlon grounded, the Referee Mr. L Probert waved away the Town claims for a spot-kick.

Mike Flynn entered the referee's notebook and was the first player to be cautioned on 43 minutes as he halted Aaron Brown's progress on the left hand side. Miglioranzi hit the resulting free-kick into the area with O'Hanlon, backpedaling, heading wide.

Town were unable to make anything of the one minute added time and headed down the tunnel for the interval a goal down.

There was one change at the break with Sean O'Hanlon being replaced by former Gillingham favourite who of course signed for Town just a day before the game. Comyn-Platt slotted into the heart of defence alongside Ifil with Smith taking his place in midfield.

Just sixty seconds into the new half the home side won a corner with Byfield seeing his close range effort blocked by a diving challenge from Ifil.

Ricky Shakes went on a mazy run on 50 minutes and after cutting in off his wing unleashed a powerful drive from twenty yards which flew over Brown's bar with Town searching for the equaliser.

On 52 minutes Town launched an incisive attack with Aaron Brown meeting an excellent pass from Miglioranzi and squaring the ball for Fallon. The New Zealander's back post header was blocked at point-blank range by Brown for a corner. Fallon then headed wide from the corner after beating Cox to the challenge.

Iffy Onuora made his second change of the game on 61 minutes. Andy Nicholas was replaced by Ashan Holgate with Town moving from a 4-4-2 formation to an attacking 3-4-3 with Holgate joining Cureton and Fallon up front.

Five minutes later Holgate was unlucky to be cautioned for a challenge on Jackman on the half-way line with Holgate attempting to block a ball forward.

As the game wore on Town continued to press the home side without really troubling Brown's goal. An example of which was a Smith shot that sailed wide after a neat lay-off from Fallon inside the area.

Town conceded an awful second goal on 73 minutes. A long ball down the right for Spiller was met by Aaron Brown who tried to shield the ball out of play, only for Spiller to nick the ball past Brown on the byline. Spiller advanced towards goal along the line and squared for Mike Flynn who swept the ball into the net to double The Gills' lead.

Minutes after the goal Town could have reduce the deficit only for Cureton to head harmlessly over from 14-yards after a Fallon header across the face of goal.

Darren Byfield was booked on 79 minutes for an altercation with Jenkins after the Gills striker had incensed the travelling Town support. The striker was replaced moments later with Grant coming on.

With eight minutes remaining Town went three down. A corner into the box was not dealt with and after finding its way through a crowd of players, former Millwall striker Neil Harris was on hand to seal an all too comfortabe three points for the home side.

In the remaining few minutes Rory Fallon saw an effort blocked by Ian Cox before Ronnie Jepson made two further changes to his side with time running out.

Gillingham: Jason Brown, Sean Clohessy, Danny Jackman, Ian Cox, Leon Johnson, Andrew Crofts, Mike Flynn ©, Alan Pouton (Wallis), Danny Spiller, Neil Harris (Hope 89), Darren Byfield (Grant)

Substitutes: Paul Crichton, Chris Hope, Brent Sancho, Jon Wallis, Gavin Grant

Swindon Town: Rhys Evans, Steve Jenkins, Sean O'Hanlon ©, Jerel Ifil, Andy Nicholas, Ricky Shakes, Stefani Miglioranzi, Charlie Comyn-Platt, Aaron Brown, Rory Fallon, Jamie Cureton