Gillingham suffered their first defeat of the summer, at the hands of Ipswich Town.

After wins over Folkestone, Bromley and Dartford and a draw at Welling, the good run was brought to an end at Priestfield on Saturday.

The Gills went behind in the second minute when Alex Henshall guided home Cameron Stewart’s cross.

It was the only goal of a half that had few clear-cut chances.

Ipswich sub Luke Hyam headed in Ipswich's second to seal the win for the Championship side.

Gills boss Peter Taylor opted to give some of his players extended run-outs for the first time this summer.

Right-back Matt Fish was kept busy in the opening half as winger Henshall looked to capitalise on any slip-up.

It was Henshall who was there to fire the visitors ahead. Leon Legge couldn’t stop the cross and Fish was unable to clear before the Ipswich man scored.

It wasn’t the best of starts and it almost got worse for the Gills as Tommy Smith was given too much space from a corner. His powerful header went narrowly over.

Gillingham finally began to get a grip of the game and were able to put together some decent moves of their own. Jermaine McGlashan, on the right flank, was constantly looking for something to run onto.

But in the end Gills’ best chances fell to defender John Egan. On two occasions he was picked out from a corner ball but keeper Dean Gerken remained unchallenged.

It hadn’t been the most exciting halves but the Gills had at least responded well to their early set-back.

Taylor introduced six substitutes at the break, with Luke Norris and Cody McDonald taking over upfront.

Gillingham had an early chance from a set-piece, after McDonald was fouled on the edge of the box, but Brennan Dickenson fired the chance high into the empty Rainham End.

Substitute keeper Glen Morris was forced into making a good save to deny former Gills loanee Jack Marriott at the other end.

It was 2-0 Ipswich just after the hour mark when Balint Bajner crossed for Hyam and he headed home.

Norris had two chances blocked for Gills. Firstly his header hit a defender and then the follow-up shot also found the body of an Ipswich player.

Gillingham: Nelson (G Morris 46mins), Fish (Hare 46mins), Egan (Davies 70mins), Borrowdale (A Morris 62mins), Legge (Barrett 70mins), Loft, Hessenthaler (Linganzi 46mins), Kedwell (Norris 46mins), McGlashan (Dickenson 46mins), German (McDonald 46mins), Dack.

Ipswich: Gerken, Veseli (Hewitt 46mins), Parr (Berra 78mins), Bru (Hyam 58mins), Smith, Chambers (Nouble 78mins), Stewart (Mings 78mins), Skuse (Wordsworth 78mins), Bajner (Murphy 70mins), Taylor (Marriott 46mins), Henshall (Anderson 63mins). Sub not used: Bialkowski.

Attendance: 1,812 (236 visiting)