Gillingham’s return to Priestfield turned into a complete disaster as they were blown away by Ipswich Town on a soggy Medway Saturday afternoon.

The game had been postponed from Boxing Day and three goals in the opening quarter all but sealed the points for the Tractor-boys who still have only ever lost one League game in Kent – that was one record that remained intact as the Gills miserable current run stretched to ten without a win for the first time in nearly five years, as the home side failed to muster a shot on target!

The Gills’ afternoon was then summed up in the second half when Dan Phillips was red carded for a second time this season for two bookable offences before substitute Conor Chaplin completed the scoring with a penalty five minutes from time.

The day had begun with a certain amount of optimism as the home side welcomed back many of the recent absentees, but all that optimism had disappeared into the murk of the River Medway well before half past three as Ipswich raced into a three-goal advantage.

The mood wasn’t helped when returning skipper Kyle Dempsey limped out of the pre match warm-up. Assistant boss Paul Raynor later conceded that it was a massive loss that his side just didn’t recover from after Dempsey had impressed in training!

With everything that was to follow, Gillingham could have easily been ahead before Ipswich’s ninth minute opener as Vadaine Oliver couldn’t hit the target with an early header, but James Norwood showed Big Vee how it should have been done as he coolly slotted home Sam Morsy’s assist.

Things got worse for the home side just four minutes later as the thirteenth minute proved unlucky for Gills keeper Jamie Cumming as the stopper who has been Gillingham’s saviour on many occasions this season, will not want to relive Wes Burns’ effort from an acute angle the doubled the Ipswich lead.

Two became three and the points were effectively won on twenty-three minutes when Macauley Bonne side footed home Matt Penney’s centre almost with the freedom of Priestfield.

Gillingham were rattled and just couldn’t get going and barely threatened the visitors’ goal with Phillips’ off target header at the end of the half the token effort on goal in a first half that was greeted by derision from the Rainham End at its’ conclusion.

Norwich loanee Tom Dickson-Peters came on at the break – for David Tutonda – and for a while the home had had some shape about them but there was a sense of the inevitable given that the Gills have netted just seven at home in the League so far – the last of those was Oliver’s winner against Doncaster Rovers way back in mid-October!

Bonne shot over for Ipswich and Penney was inches away from the top corner before Phillips was booked twice inside five minutes by referee Young and Gills misery continued as the rain continued to come down – misery that was completed six minutes from time when Joe Piggott was brought down in the box and Chaplin converted from twelve yards.

Morsy then crashed an effort off the Gills crossbar in stoppage time, but the gods deemed that the faithful had suffered enough and the ball rebounded to safety!

On a desperately disappointing afternoon, the crumb of comfort for the soaked home fans – and it was only a crumb – as at least this game wasn’t played on Boxing Day to ruin Christmas, but the stark reality of things is that Steve Evans now faces arguably the biggest test of his managerial career – not to take Gillingham out of the division, but to keep them in it as that trap door is now seven massive points away!

GILLINGHAM – Cumming, Jackson, Tutonda (Dickson-Peters H/T), Ehmer, Bennett, Tucker, O’Keefe, Carayol (Lloyd 79), Phillips, McKenzie, Oliver.

Subs not used – Chapman, Lintott, Lee, Reeves, Sithole.

Booked: O’Keefe (63), Phillips (69).

Sent Off: Phillips (73).

IPSWICH TOWN – Walton, Penney, Edmundson, Woolfenden, Donacien, Aluko (Chaplin 80), Evans, Morsy, Burns, Bonne (Pigott 71), Norwood (Jackson 71).

Subs not used – Hladky, Vincent-Young, Carroll, Burgess.

Goals: Norwood (9), Burns (13), Bonne (23), Chaplin (pen 85).

Booked: Donacien (11).

REFEREE – Mr Alan Young

Attendance: 6,401