The Gills slipped to a third straight defeat this time away to Colchester United in the EFL Trophy in what was a tale of two halves.
Sam Vokes got the opening goal of the game, as he did what all good strikers do and pounced on a ball across the area to turn home.
In the second half the substitutes made all the difference for the home team as Mbick and Read from the spot gave them all three points and moved them top of Group H.
Assistant manager Richard Dobson named a strong looking line-up to face Colchester in the EFL Trophy, which may have surprised many. It did give the opportunity to a number of players to get some valuable game time. Though losing Seb Palmer-Houlden before kick-off wasn’t in the script, with Cruz Beszant replacing him.
The first half chance fell the way of Jack Payne, who hit a powerfully struck shot goalwards, but it was blocked by Beszant.
Gills keeper played young Logan Dobbs into some trouble, and he was disposed by John-Kymani Gordon, he had the goal to aim at, but his shot was blocked and cleared by Akomeah.
In the 12th minute the Gills struck the foot of the post when Max Clark unleashed a shot that beat the keeper and came back off the post, following a poor clearance from the Colchester defence.
Gillingham took the lead in the 15th minute, when a Remeao Hutton cross was swing into the area and Lenny Cirino hit an effort towards goal which Sam Vokes pounced on to turn into the Us net.
A great turn from Marcus Wyllie opened space for him drive into and to have a shot in the 20th minute, but he dragged his shot wide of the post.
Vokes then had another chance to make it 2-0, a Hutton through ball found Vokes between the two centre halves, and from the edge of the area he fired wide.
Kuffour had the best of the chances for Colchester to this point and from the edge of the area he fired over in the 25th minute, after good work down the Gills left.
The Gills were riding their luck a bit at the back and in the 28th minute, Colchester should have equalised when Tovide fired wide when just yards out after a great cross from Rob Hunt on the right-hand side.
Pleasing for the Gills supporters and management alike was the fact that they were creating chances, with both Vokes and Wyllie having half chances on the half hour mark.
Logan Dobbs was able to block a Tevide effort shortly before half time, as the striker looked to unleash his shot from just inside the area, Dobbs came sliding into block, having Ronnie Harvey driven into the Gills area in the lead up to the Tevide effort.
As the clock ticked down towards half time the game got a little scrappy with both sides losing the ball to each other in the midfield areas.
The final chance of the half went to Williams as he turned Clark and fired well over Turner and the Gills goal.
There was a half time substation for the Gills with Josh Andrews coming on to replace goal scorer Vokes. Colchester themselves made three changes as they looked to mix things up at the start of the second period.
The first chance of the half would go to Gillingham as Max Clark standing over a free kick saw Smith off his line and tried his luck from distance, but it sailed harmlessly over the cross bar.
Clark was then into the book as Williams spun his man, and the Gills skipper took his legs out from him as he looked to break away. The Gills physio was in action at the same time to give some treatment to Akomeah who had taken what looked like an elbow to the face in a challenge just before Clark’s booking.
Colchester were nearly back on terms when Gordon whipped a ball into the area and Cirino in trying to clear nearly turned it past Turner, but he was down smartly to gather.
Gills were lucky in the 56th minute, Williams was one on one with Clark and with three in the break with him, he played a ball through to Edwards who had gone to early and was flagged offside as he bore down towards the Gills goal.
The Gills made a triple change just after the hour mark with Hutton, Bridle and Waldock replacing Hutton, Wyllie and Khumbeni.
Kyrell Lisbie showed why the Colchester fans are excited by him as he burst down the right-hand side and squared for Williams who fired over.
Lisbie then forced a good save from Turner as he drove into the Gills area and Cirino showed him towards the by line, he managed to get the shot away, which was turned round the post for a corner.
Turner again prevented the equaliser when he got down to run away an Araujo header after a free kick was swung into the area following a Cirino foul on Lisbie. It was the home side who were on top with around 15 minutes to go.
On 75 minutes Cirino was fouled and Beszant sent a ball in that wasn’t cleared, it made its way back to Cirino, but he couldn’t get a cross away and it went out for a goal kick.
Gills gave away a free kick on the edge of their own area, and Read stepped up to strike the ball, but he fired well over the wall and the bar with ten minutes to go. Substitute Harry Waldock was booked for the foul that led to the free kick.
Waldock then won a free kick in the 84th minute, the ball was swung in by Beszant and Andrews squared it across the box and Dobbs arrived at the back post, but he put his effort wide
It was 1-1 with five minutes left of the match, Colchester broke down the left wing by Lisbie, he played the ball across the box and Mbick slotted past Turner.
The Gills were then reduced to ten men with three minutes left when he fouled Lisbie and earned himself his second yellow card of the match.
Colchester were now chasing for a winning goal and had the Gills penned back in their own 18-yard box for the remaining minutes of the game.
Rowe went on a mazy run forward and lost the ball, the gap he created was exploited by the home side. Mbick fed Read and he was fouled by Bridle in the area, the referee had no choice but to point to the spot. Read picked himself up and dispatched the penalty to make it 2-1.
Rowe did sting the palms of Smith with a long-range effort in second half injury time as the Gills looked for a late equaliser.
Ogie was fouled in what was likely to be the last chance of the game. Beszant stepped up and curled one in but no one in black for Gillingham could meet the ball, and it was cleared away.
Colchester: Smith, Hunt, Tucker (Araujo, 45), Tovide (Mbick, 45), Payne (Read, 45), Gordon (Lisbie,63), Williams, Edwards (Anderson, 74), Powell, Kuffour JR, Harvey
Subs not used: Chamberlain, Vincent-Young
Gillingham: Turner, Hutton (Rowe,63), Clark (C)(Dayal, 83), Akomeah, Wyllie (Bridle,63), Vokes (Andrews, 45), Ogie, Khumbeni (Waldock,63), Dobbs, Cirino, Beszant
Subs not used: Holtham
Image courtesy of Gillingham FC