Aiden O’Brien’s first goal for Gillingham clinched his side the points against Crewe at Priestfield.

A poor defensive clearance gifted the Gills an opening goal scored by Tom Nichols but Callum Ainley levelled soon after for Crewe. O’Brien put the home side back ahead and his 70th minute goal won the game. Manager Neil Harris was sent off late on for dissent after Oli Hawkins had a goal disallowed.

Victory for Gills leaves them 10 points clear of the League 2 drop zone.

Gillingham manager Neil Harris made a trio of changes to his starting eleven, bringing Robbie McKenzie, Alex MacDonald and Dom Jefferies back in at the expense of David Tutonda, O’Brien and George Lapslie.

The Gills were up against a side with big issues on their travels, without an away win in four months and missing three of their weekend starters on international duty. Crewe were unable to postpone an already rescheduled match - having known the date was on a week designated for international football.

Harris had called on his players to respond after a disappointing weekend showing at Walsall and wanted his men to make a fast start at Priestfield - a home ground where they had won six of their last seven matches.

Had Tom Nichols’ early cross been a bit more precise then Jefferies may well have been able to give Gillingham a perfect start. That final ball was a problem throughout the opening 45 minutes.

It wasn’t the fluid start that the Gills would have wanted and they got away with a 15th minute corner when Kelvin Mellor couldn’t get a shot away and Rio Adebisi’s close-range effort was blocked.

Gillingham were struggling to make the most of any good positions they found themselves in and were unable to test the Crewe stand-in keeper David Richards during the opening half.

Crewe’s lively forward Daniel Agyei threatened on a couple of occasions to make something happen but the closest he got was a low shot wide.

Half-time came without much to rave about from either team. Gillingham would have been comforted knowing they had won a handful of recent home games having gone in goalless at the break.

McKenzie was played in on goal early in the second half but he was unable to find the target.

It was from a poor defensive clearance that the Gills took the lead. Alex MacDonald picked up the loose ball, he found Nichols inside the box and the forward crashed the ball past Richards.

Crewe responded to the 57th minute opener, equalising just five minutes later. Rio Adebisi’s cross hit the top of the Gillingham bar and when McKenzie cleared it for a corner, the visitors capitalised. Gills couldn’t clear from the set-piece and it landed at the feet of Ainley who scored with a well-hit rising shot across goal.

Gillingham were back infront with 20 minutes left when MacDonald capitalised on more sloppy Crewe defending as Luke Offord’s clearance looped into the air. Nichols then played a ball in and it was O’Brien who was on hand to convert.

Gills boss Harris was sent off late on and assistant David Livermore booked after Hawkins had been penalised for a foul just as he had nodded the ball into the net. A late chance for Crewe came and went as Glenn Morris made a super reflex save.

Gillingham: Morris, Alexander (Tutonda 90mins), McKenzie, Masterson, Ehmer, Williams, Jefferies (O’Brien 67mins), MacDonald (Wright 90mins), Dieng (Lapslie 67mins), Hawkins, Nichols (Coleman 77mins). Subs not used: Holtam, Abrahams.

Crewe: Richards, Mellor, Adebisi, Offord, Thomas, Ainley (Holicek 84mins), Agyei, Griffiths, Nevitt, Tabiner, Amoo (Baker-Richardson 69mins). Subs not used: Lawton, Lunt, Webster, Kempster-Down.

Referee: James Oldham

Attendance: 5,796 (72 away)