Two Jo Kuffour goals in the space of two second half minutes ensured Gillingham came from behind to beat ten man Crawley Town.

The home side were reduced to ten men on nineteen minutes when Claude Davis was dismissed for hauling down Kuffour who was clean through, but they took the lead fifteen minutes later when top scorer Matt Tubbs slammed home a penalty after Matt Lawrence had conceded the spot kick.

It took just five minutes after the break for Kuffour to level matters as he stabbed home Chris Whelpdale’s cross and just two minutes later he scored his seventh goal in a Gills shirt to seal all three points for Andy Hessenthaler’s side despite having Luke Rooney sent off in stoppage time for a second bookable offence.

Gills boss Andy Hessenthaler was forced into making four changes to the side that beat Bristol Rovers nine days ago, with Andy Frampton and Lewis Montrose injured, Charlie Lee suspended and Frank Nouble having returned to West Ham after his loan spell ended.

So, in came Matt Lawrence to partner Garry Richards in defence, Matt Fish slotted in at right back, Chris Whelpdale started the game wide on the right with Jo Kuffour restored up top alongside Danny Kedwell.

The Gills thought they should have been given an early chance to take the lead when Crawley survived an early penalty shout as Danny Kedwell tanlged with Claude Davis, while at the other end, Michael Doughty’s cross was only fractionally too high for Tubbs.

Despite that, it was quite an attritional start but the match burst into life when Claude Davis was dismissed for clipping Jo Kuffour after Kyle McFadzean’s loose pass but him in a difficult situation, Danny Jackman curled the free kick wide and Crawley changed shape to three in midfield.

Matt Tubbs fired the Reds into the lead however, placing his spot-kick beyond Ross Flitney after McFadzean had been flattened by Matt Lawrence in the box with a clumsy challenge.

Gills responded well, and Kuffour headed over from a dangerous looking cross, but Crawley continued to harry and hustle with a man down. Defender David Hunt was called into a last ditch tackle on Kedwell with five minutes of the match remaining, and from the resulting corner, Crawley broke downfield and Sergio Torres snatched at a half volley which flew wide.

The end of the first half also saw Matt Fish limping off to be replaced by Luke Rooney was who restored to the bench, seemingly sorting his differences with the club.

Still, Crawley attacked, and Tubbs stung the palms of Gills keeper Flitney with a free kick which looked destined for the top-corner, as they ended the half on top.

The first opening of the second half went to the visitors, for whom Curtis Weston failed to connect with an inviting low cross.

The Gills finally got the luck they deserved on 50 minutes when Chris Whelpdale’s cross from the right found Kuffour, and the striker connected with his knee, guiding the ball past Scott Shearer’s dive in the Crawley goal.

But Kuffour knew more about his second goal 90 seconds later, his mazy run from the halfway line was not checked, and he fired past Shearer from ten yards.

Kuffour continued to cause problems with his pace, but the Reds had the next opening, as Barnett hit his low shot early from 30 yards, and Flitney needed two attempts to gather. Soon after, Josh Simpson’s deflected shot wrong-footed Flitney as the ball spun out for a corner.

Crawley pressed and pressed, and at the end of a sweeping counter attack, Tubbs’ header was cleared off the line by Whelpdale who had to leave the pitch shortly after with what transpired to be a testicle injury that required five stitches!

There was late drama as Luke Rooney was shown a second yellow card for a foul on substitute Scott Neilson, but Crawley could not take advantage of the numbers being evened up and Gillingham clung on for an historic win.

FULL TIME: CRAWLEY TOWN 1-2 GILLINGHAM

Gills win takes them up to sixth in League Two, just eight points behind leaders Crawley with a trip to Dagenham & Redbridge to come next on Friday night.

Crawley line up: Shearer, Hunt, Howell, Mills, Davis, Mcfadzean, Bulman, Torres (Neilsen 82), Doughty (Simpson 58), Tubbs, Barnett.

Subs not used: Kuipers, Akpan, Akinde.

Goal: Tubbs (pen 34).

Sent Off: Davis (19).

Booked: Barnett (23), Hunt (87).

Gills line up: Flitney, Fish (Rooney 42), Richards, Lawrence, Martin, Whelpdale (King 90), J Payne, Weston (Oli 69), Jackman, Kuffour, Kedwell.

Subs not used: Gazzaniga, S Payne.

Goals: Kuffour (50) & (52).

Booked: Martin (10), Weston (63), Rooney (80).

Sent Off: Rooney (92).

Referee: Mr Sheldrake

Attendance: 4,255 (1,301 Gillingham)