Crawley Town secured back-to-back away league wins for the first time since January 2022 with a hard-fought 2-0 League Two victory at lacklustre Gillingham.
Stephen Clemence decided to change formation for the game, looking for goals and opted for a back five with two up top – of sorts, but Scott Lindsey’s side more than matched The Gills in every department.
It was Will Wright, who spent last season with the Kent side, that fired home Town’s opener with a free-kick from the edge of the box after 24 minutes.
Tim Dieng and former Crawley striker Tom Nichols both shot wide for the hosts in the opening half.
Danilo Orsi almost doubled the visitors’ advantage five minutes after the break but blazed his effort from 20 yards just inches wide of the post.
Conor Masterson tamely shot at Town goalkeeper Corey Addai following a surging run through the Crawley half and Ashley Nadesan poked a loose ball over the crossbar as Gillingham sought an equaliser.
But Addai was always on hand and later produced a brilliant save to also deny Jonny Williams on the hour, before Nadesan shot into the side netting after going through on goal.
Substitute Jack Roles sealed Town’s victory with a deflected long-range effort in the 71st minute, just two minutes after coming on.
Gillingham huffed and puffed foe the final twenty minutes, but in truth, offered very little going forward and the 7,000 plus crowd, or the majority of them, went home deflated and not at all optimistic about the rest of the campaign.
The defeat sees The Gills drop to 14th place in League Two, some four points outside the play-off places and now 13 points behind Mansfield Town who occupy the last automatic promotion place.
With 23rd placed Sutton United coming to Priestfield on Friday night, anything less than a win and a convincing one at that, will be seen as a failure with questions already being asked about Stephen Clemence’s future.
Gillingham: Turner, Alexander (Clarke 72), Masterson (Hawkins 81), Ehmer, Ogie, Malone, Coleman, Dieng (Lapslie 64), J. Williams (Mahoney 72), Nichols, Nadesan.
Subs not used: Morris, Clark, Bonne.
Booked: Ehmer (12), Malone (23).
Crawley Town: Addai, Ransom, Conroy, Maguire, Gordon (Roles 69), Wright, Lolos (Adeyemo 64), Tsaroulla, Darcy, Campbell, Orsi (Swyer 89).
Subs not used: Ashby-Hammond, Henry, Mukena, Khaleel.
Goals: Wright (24), Roles (71).
Booked: Darcy (45+3), Maguire (63), Campbell (73), Adeyemo (81).
Referee: Mr Ben Atkinson
Attendance: 7150 (288 Crawley)