Below-par Gillingham were undone at home to Harrogate in League 2 on Tuesday.

The Gills started well but it was Matty Daly who broke the deadlock at Priestfield for the away team and Harrogate skipper Alex Pattison added a second after the restart, condemning Neil Harris’ team to a second defeat in four days.

Gillingham, who were beaten heavily at Tranmere on Saturday, made a lively start to the first-ever meeting between the teams in front of a crowd of 3,931 as they looked for a reaction. They threatened inside the opening minute, Harrogate’s defence forced to clear a low left-wing Ryan Law cross.

Two minutes later, Gills’ first clear-cut opportunity fell to playmaker Ben Reeves who blasted over.

Northern Ireland international Reeves was back in the action not long after as his cross flashed across the face of the Harrogate goal after some clever play.

But on 12 minutes, the away team almost caught the home side out with a counter-attack. Jaheim Headley surged forward and let fly, only for Gills goalkeeper Glenn Morris - who was in fine form on the night - to make an excellent fingertip save.

The Yorkshire outfit threatened again in the 16th minute when defender Joe Mattock bent a cross-cum-shot wide of Morris’ right-hand post after a quick corner routine.

At the other end, Gillingham winger Jordan Green was presented with two chances in as many minutes shortly before the halfway stage in the first half.

With the first from a right-wing cross from new Gillingham recruit Hakeeb Adelakun, he was denied by visiting keeper Mark Oxley. And the second saw Green latch on to a Will Wright cross from the right before failing to hit the target.

Those squandered chances looked even more costly in the 25th minute when the Gills fell behind. Pattison cut the ball back from the left to find Daly who swept past Morris and found the back of the net, much to the delight of the 83-strong away support who had braved the long midweek journey.

Gillingham responded fairly well to going behind and a 35th-minute effort from Wright went over after target-man Mika Mandron had found space.

But with frustration growing amid the home support at the speed attacks were being built, Pattison broke and had a big chance on 40 minutes for Simon Weaver’s men. But he was denied by a crucial save by highly experienced on-loan Crawley man Morris.

At the other end, Indonesian international defender Elkan Baggott came up from the back and reached Reeves’ in-swinging cross after a corner was half-cleared, although he missed the target.

Adelakun then was given his first Gillingham booking after he had lost the ball and dragged back a Harrogate player who tried to break out of defence as the hosts trailed at half-time.

Three minutes into the second half, Baggott sent a Wright corner looping narrowly over.

Harrogate’s first second-half chance on 52 minutes was a massive one. Kayne Ramsay found space in the area and received a cutback from the left but dragged wide when it looked easier to score. Wright also got a booking for an earlier play in the attack.

Just before the hour mark, excellent keeping by Morris saw him thwart Headley and then Stephen Dooley who had picked up the loose ball.

The home side made a double change in the 65th minute which saw Scott Kashket and Cheye Alexander come on for Wright and returning skipper Stuart O’Keefe.

But it was the visitors who had another glorious opportunity, three minutes later. Pattison failing to hit the target.

With 15 minutes to go, Gillingham brought on Alex MacDonald who replaced Adelakun and the substitution almost instantly worked as Green dragged wide. Lewis Walker was the next home player introduced, eight minutes from time, in their final roll of the dice.

Baggott once again threatened from a corner with 85 minutes on the clock, heading over a Reeves delivery.

But the visitors sealed the victory a minute later when Pattison managed to get the ball past via Morris and in via the woodwork.

Desperately looking for a lifeline, Gillingham, who had lost their way as the match went on, pushed forward but they couldn’t find a way through - Harrogate actually having the last chance at the death - and the final whistle was met with a chorus of boos from home fans.

There was a full debut for on-loan Adelakun, signed a day before the game by Gillingham on a season-long loan from League 1 Lincoln, while O’Keefe came into the starting line-up too.

Striker Kashket dropped to the bench for Gills and experienced former Republic of Ireland international midfielder Shaun Williams missed out totally.

Gillingham: Morris, Wright (Alexander 65mins), Ehmer, Baggott, Law (Walker 82mins), Lee, O'Keefe (Kashket 65mins), Green, Reeves, Adelakun (MacDonald 76mins), Mandron. Subs not used: Turner, Tutonda, Macarthur.

Harrogate: Oxley, Welch-Hayes, Mattock (Richards 73mins), Headley, Pattison, Austerfield, Ramsay, Dooley (Thomson 63mins), Ferguson, Daly (Muldoon 79mins), Armstrong. Subs not used: Giles, Burrell, Frost, Ilesanmi.

Referee: Lee Swabey.

Attendance: 3,931 (63 away fans).