Gillingham suffered a major blow to their League 2 play-off aspirations with defeat at Priestfield on Tuesday night.

Dannie Bulman put the visitors ahead early in the second half and it proved to be enough for Crawley to take maximum points.

The opening half ended goalless with Gills surviving a scare at the half-hour stage when defender Kyle McFadzean crashed a header off the bar.

Gillingham somehow cleared the danger with Gary Alexander lurking on the goal line desperate to pounce.

Crawley forward Alexander was lucky to stay on the field following a lunge on Gills’ young defender Connor Essam moments later. Referee Mark Heywood opted instead to give the on-loan player a booking.

Essam had only returned to the field after recovering from a head injury picked up during a Gillingham attack.

It was during that move where Simon King almost prodded home the ball from the edge of the area following a corner. Gills’ best effort before that saw Jordan Obita’s low and powerful free-kick diverted out for a corner by keeper Michael Kuipers.

The Gills made a positive start to the second half but they conceded with five second-half minutes gone. A slip from Essam gave Crawley space and the ball was played through by Alexander to Bulman. He struck across the keeper to put the visitors ahead.

Alexander, who had looked dangerous all night, put a shot into the side netting just moments later.

With Jo Kuffour coming off the bench, the Gills pushed extra men forward. Around the hour mark Chris Whelpdale smashed a powerful effort just wide and Essam had a header deflected over the bar.

Hope Akpan had the ball in the net for the visitors again, midway through the half, but the linesman’s flag was already up for offside.

With 20 minutes left, Gills boss Andy Hessenthaler introduced Ashley Miller from the subs bench, as the hosts looked for a way back into the match.

Crawley refused to sit back in the latter stages, with Alexander and fellow strike Leon Clarke continuing to pose problems for the home side. At the other end, Whelpdale saw another powerful effort well claimed by Kuipers.

In the final minute, Danny Kedwell had a header cleared off the line by Sergio Torres as the Gills finished the game with a flurry of corners.

Gillingham: Gazzaniga, Fish, Jackman, Essam, King, Payne, O Lee (Kuffour 55mins), Whelpdale, Obita (Martin 79mins), Oli (Miller 71mins), Kedwell. Subs not used: Frampton, Hawkes.

Crawley: Kuipers, S Davies, Howell, Mills, McFadzean, Simpson, Bulman, Akpan, Torres, L Clarke, Alexander. Subs not used: Neilson, B Clarke, Watt, Batt, Cummings.

Attendance: 5,204

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Picture: Ashley Miller goes in where it hurts against Crawley