Gillingham striker Gavin Tomlin scores his second goal past Dons keeper Seb brown to put Gills 3-1 ahead, but the visitors came back to win 4-3 at Priestfield. Picture: Barry Goodwin.

by Luke Cawdell

Gillingham conceded three goals in 18 minutes to see their hopes of much-needed home joy disappear.

An early Gavin Tomlin strike put the Gills ahead and they doubled the lead through Jo Kuffour (pictured) shortly after the break.

The Dons halved the deficit on the hour but Tomlin headed home to calm the nerves at Priestfield moments later.

An own goal made it 3-2 to start the comeback, Jack Midson levelled from the spot with 10 minutes left and with a couple of minutes remaining Midson put Wimbledon ahead.

It took Gillingham just five minutes to take the lead with a goal from on-loan Dagenham forward Tomlin, but for the rest of the opening 45 minutes there was no indication of the second half drama to come.

Tomlin had latched onto Danny Jackman's ball before squeezing a shot past keeper Seb Brown, to net his first goal of the season, on his home Gills debut.

Tomlin was playing in an advanced position as the support for main strikers Danny Kedwell and Kuffour.

Kedwell had come through a fitness test to face his old club while fellow injury doubts Matt Lawrence and Charlie Lee both also started. There was no place in the team though for Andy Frampton, who picked up a thigh injury during training.

Boss Andy Hessenthaler had made four changes to his starting line-up as he looked for a response to the disappointing display a week previously at Shrewsbury.

Dropped to the bench were Curtis Weston, Dennis Oli and Chris Whelpdale.

Unfortunately the Gills were unable to build on their impressive start and for long periods they were on the back foot in the opening half against an AFC Wimbledon side, who earlier in the season, had beaten them 3-1.

A couple of tame efforts, from Lee and Joe Martin - back from a two game suspension - failed to trouble Brown while later in the half Lee's header, from a Jackman corner, sailed wide.

Wimbledon's final ball undid all their good approach play and the Gills held their lead by the break.

Gillingham got their much-needed second goal in the 54th minute and it was Kuffour, on his first appearance since returning to the club, who claimed it. He ran onto Tomlin's super through ball and beat the keeper with an equally impressive finish.

Wimbledon got back into the match on the hour when George Moncur found Luke Moore in space and the former Ebbsfleet man slotted home.

The joy for the 1,163 travelling fans didn't last long as Tomlin headed home his second of the match, from a Kuffour cross, in the 62nd minute to restore Gills' two-goal advantage.

Another Wimbledon goal with 72 minutes gone made it 3-2 as Garry Richards turned the ball into his own net from a corner.

With 10 minutes left Wimbledon levelled from the penalty spot through Midson. He was the man fouled by Matt Lawrence and referee Brendan Malone pointed to the spot.

Malone was the same referee who awarded Brighton a contentious penalty against the Gills back in August.

Worse followed for the Gills. With two minutes left as a vicious cross from the left was turned into his the net by Midson with Martin in close proximity to give the visitors the lead for the first time.

Gillingham: Flitney, Lee, Martin, Richards, Lawrence, Tomlin (Oli 85mins), J Payne, Montrose, Jackman (Whelpdale 81mins), Kedwell, Kuffour (Weston 70mins). Subs: King, Gazzaniga.

Wimbledon: Brown, Hatton, Gwillim, S Moore, Mitchel-King, McNaughton, Knott (Kiernan 85mins), Moncur, L Moore (Yussuff 71mins), Midson, Harrison (Stuart 90mins). Subs not used: Bush, Turner.

Attendance: 6,236

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