by Luke Cawdell

Gillingham crashed to their first league defeat of the season after conceding three second half goals at Rotherham.

Danny Harrison headed the hosts ahead early in the second half and just after the hour Lewis Grabban doubled their advantage.

Gareth Evans slotted home from close range for Rotherham’s third to all-but finish the Gills off.

Danny Kedwell had been working hard for the Gills in attack, with Danny Spiller offering support, and he came close on a couple of occasions in a first half of few chances.

With 38 minutes gone Kedwell (pictured) was clean through on goal but keeper Conrad Logan saved well. A shot by the Gillingham striker moment later whizzed wide of the post.

The best chance of the half belonged to Rotherham when from a Gillingham free-kick they broke and Gareth Evans curled an effort in from 15 yards, only to see goalkeeper Ross Flitney tip the ball wide with a diving save.

Those chances came late in a first half that had otherwise been devoid of goalscoring chances.

With 53 minutes on the clock the home side took the lead when Danny Schofield’s cross was headed in by Harrison.

Gills boss Andy Hessenthaler tried to change things for his side on the hour with the introduction of Dennis Oli for Jack Payne. The visitors almost found themselves 2-0 down seconds later when Mark Bradley smashed a long-range effort narrowly off target.

Rotherham did get a second on 63 minutes when Grabban latched onto a through-ball and slid a shot past Flitney to leave the Gills with a huge task to rescue the match.

Kedwell had a looping header turned onto the post by keeper Conrad Logan and he was needed to tip sub Luke Rooney’s effort over moments later as the Gills responded by pressing the Rotherham goal.

It left gaps at the back for the Gills and Flitney did well to deny Grabban but seconds later, with 76 minutes gone, the defence was left exposed again as Evans slotted the ball home from a Marcus Marshall cross.

Rotherham: Logan, Marshall, Newey, Harrison, Raynes, Cresswell, Schofield, Evans, Taylor (Bradley 52mins), Holroyd (Foster 86mins), Grabban. Subs not used: Warrington, Brown, Pringle.

Gillingham: Flitney, Fuller, Martin (Jackman 76mins), Frampton, Lawrence, J Payne (Oli 60mins), Spiller (Rooney 68mins), Montrose, Weston, Lee, Kedwell. Subs not used: Richards, Gazzaniga.

Attendance: 3,740

What do you think of the Gills defeat? Have your say below.