Gillingham’s indifferent league form continued at Priestfield on Tuesday night as they were beaten 3-1 by Peterborough United.

Steve Evans’ side went into the game full of confidence having beaten Charlton Athletic 3-2 at The Valley on Saturday.

However, it wasn’t to be their night as they let a lead slip that had been given to them by a John Akinde penalty in the first half.

Evans made one change to the side that won at The Valley with Callum Slattery deemed fit enough to start with Stuart O’Keefe dropping to the bench.

Days after scoring a wonder goal against Charlton, Gillingham’s Connor Ogilvie almost broke the deadlock after 11 minutes with a spectacular half-volley that sailed narrowly over the bar.

But Gills striker John Akinde did open the scoring from the penalty spot on 32 minutes after referee Charles Breakspear controversially ruled that he had been pushed by Jack Taylor.

Ogilvie almost doubled the hosts’ advantage seconds before the break with a low shot that had Posh goalkeeper Christy Pym beaten.

Peterborough’s comeback started just 90 seconds into the second half as top scorer Clarke-Harris capitalised on Jack Bonham’s weak parry from Nathan Thompson’s tame shot to slot into an empty net.

Half-time substitute Siriki Dembele completed the five-minute turnaround for Darren Ferguson’s side when his shot deflected off Jack Tucker and past Bonham.

Clarke-Harris made sure of Peterborough’s victory – their seventh in 11 league games – with a sublime backheeled finish from Joe Ward’s delivery.

The defeat sees The Gills drop to 15th place in League One, seven points outside the play-off places and a mid table finish once again beckons.

They will now need to pick themselves back up for Bristol Rovers’ visit to Priestfield on Saturday with a 1pm kick off.

Gillingham line up: Bonham, Jackson, Tucker, Cundy, Ogilvie, Slattery, O’Connor (Johnson 65), Dempsey, Lee (MacDonald 65), Akinde, Oliver (Graham 53).

Unused Substitutes: Bastien, McKenzie, Morton, O’Keefe.

Goal: Akinde (pen 31).

Booked: Slattery (48), Akinde (65), McKenzie (79).

Peterborough United line up: Pym, Butler, Thompson, Beevers, Kent, Brown, Taylor, Ward, Szmodics, Clarke-Harris, Eisa (Dembele 46).

Unused Substitutes: Gyollai, Burrows, Blake-Tracy, Kanu, Hamilton, Mason.

Goals: Clarke-Harris (47), (67), Dembele (52).

Booked: Kent (44), Clarke-Harris (64), Butler (77).

Referee: Charles Breakspear

Picture supplied by Gillingham Football Club.