Gillingham came from behind to see off in-form Swindon at the County Ground.

Swindon’s lead was cancelled out immediately by Bradley Dack and Jake Hessenthaler put the Gills ahead by the break.

A super Ryan Jackson strike put Gillingham further infront and Swindon ended the game with 10 men after Raphael Ross-Branco was sent off with five minutes left.

Dack missed a stoppage-time penalty and the chance to make it four.

Gillingham were up against a Swindon side with four successive wins going into the Boxing Day clash, which had helped lift the Wiltshire club out of the League 1 relegation mire.

But the home side found themselves second best throughout.

The Gills’ 3-0 win the previous season had been built on a great pressing display and once again the visitors, chasing the top two in the league table, got at their hosts whenever they were without the ball.

Such was Gillingham’s dominance they limited Swindon to just one shot on target.

Ben Gladwin put a good chance over for the hosts early on and it was his ball in behind the Gills defence that put Swindon ahead. The hosts broke away after a Dominic Samuel pass was cut out and Jonathan Obika fired home.

Gillingham were level straight from the restart. The visitors surged forward, Samuel laid the ball off for Dack and he drilled a shot into the bottom corner from 25 yards, claiming his 12 goal of the season.

The Gills continued to look the better following their equaliser and Dack fired in an effort from outside the box which the keeper Lawrence Vigouroux held.

Dack – earlier involved in a petty off-the-ball skirmish with home defender Raphael Rossi-Branco - was involved in Gills’ second goal, timed at 35 minutes. Rory Donnell’s cross was headed out of the keeper’s grasp by a home defender, Dack’s shot was blocked and when the loose ball fell to Hessenthaler, he netted with a sliced effort.

Gillingham’s hard work continued to unsettle the hosts in the second half.

A glancing header from Donnell went wide of the mark for the Gills and Garmston had a powerful effort well saved by Vigouroux.

The Gills did find themselves in trouble on a few occasions, with Fred Graham booking Jackson, Deji Oshilaja and Dack for separate incidents over a three-minute spell, riling the home crowd.

Gillingham went 3-1 up with 69 minutes gone as Jackson cut in before firing in low from the edge of the box.

Louis Thompson fired narrowly wide for the hosts with 10 minutes left but Swindon’s hopes were lessened further still when defender Rossi-Branco picked up a second booking late on and was sent off.

Egan was pulled down in the box in stoppage-time and Dack stepped up, firing low, but seeing his shot saved by the keeper.

Swindon: Vigouroux, Robert (Kasim 55mins), Turnbull, Ajose, Gladwin, Thompson, Obika, Rodgers (Traore 88mins), Barry, Rossi-Branco, Al-Abd (Brophy 74mins). Subs not used: Belford, Ormonde-Ottewill, Hylton, Ojamaa.

Gillingham: Nelson, Jackson, Garmston, Egan, Oshilaja, Wright, A Morris, Hessenthaler, Dack, Donnelly (List 90mins). Samuel (Norris 83mins). Subs not used: G Morris, Ehmer, Loft, McGlashan, Osadebe.

Attendance: 9,228 (488 away)