Gillingham were comfortably beaten by Crystal Palace at Priestfield on Tuesday night.

Palace took a first half lead through Dean Moxey but the Gills put the pressure on their Premier League opponents after the break.

Despite that pressure a long-range effort from Stephen Dobbie doubled Palace’s lead and Quincy Owusu-Abeyie struck a third as Palace finished on top.

Gills boss Martin Allen made two changes to his starting XI from the team which started the game on Saturday against Millwall.

Adebayo Akinfenwa came into attack to partner Danny Kedwell, in place of Cody McDonald, while Charlie Allen returned to start in midfield. Amine Lingazi replaced Steven Gregory in the position protecting the back four.

One new face for the Gills on the bench was that of keeper George Howard. The Bromley stopper played against Allen’s side earlier in the month at Hayes Lane. Myles Weston was again missing through injury.

It proved to be a busy opening few minutes for the Gills defence, who were opened up inside the first minute. Dwight Gayle was only denied by a good save from Stuart Nelson.

Gayle, who a year ago was a target for the Gills while at Dagenham, was a real threat in the opening stages. By the 18 minute Nelson had twice more had to save from the lively forward.

Gillingham’s biggest threat came from Danny Kedwell. He volleyed one effort from 20 yards into the arms of keeper Julian Speroni and smashed another shot, on the turn, just wide.

It was the visitors who went into the break ahead as Moxey smashed a low shot through a crowd of bodies into the bottom corner, with 22 minutes gone, after Joe Martin had cleared from a corner kick.

The latter stages of the first half saw Palace’s chances dry up, as the Gills got to grips with their Premier League opponents.

Palace changed their entire team for the second half while Allen sent out the same eleven. And the Gills bossed the early stages after the turnaround.

Kedwell shot narrowly wide with an hour gone and McDonald – on for Akinfenwa – headed another chance wide. It was a period of pressure that kept the large Palace following in the Gordon Road Stand quiet.

Chances kept arriving for the Gills and Chris Whelpdale curled an effort over into the Rainham End.

While the Gills were unable to turn possession into goals, Palace scored a second, through Dobbie. He ran at goal and with the defence backing off he picked his spot, with a low shot, that left Nelson flat-footed.

A third Palace goal arrived on 73 minutes. A long ball out of defence left Owusu-Abeyie in a battle for the ball with Matt Fish. The Palace man won and he drilled the ball low past Nelson with 17 minutes left.

Moments later the same player was free again on the right, this time smashing a shot against the bar.

Gills: Nelson, Fish (Butcher 83mins), Martin (N'Gala 89mins), Legge (Davies 68mins), Barrett, Linganzi (Grant 86mins), Whelpdale, Allen (Muggleton 83mins), Dack (Gregory 57mins), Akinfenwa (McDonald 57mins), Kedwell (German 72mins). Sub not used: Howard.

Palace (1 half): Speroni, Taylor, Campana, De Silva, Jedinak, Gayle, Nuhiu, Williams, Moxey, Delaney, Ramage. Palace (2 half): Fitzsimons, Ward, Williams, Bolasie, Owusu-Abeyie, Dobbie, O’Keefe, Nicholson, Wilbraham, Gabbidon, Wynter.