SWINDON Town were embarrassed by visiting Gillingham this evening as they missed out on the chance to reclaim a place in the automatic promotion places in League One.

Town were unable to capitalise on dropped points for MK Dons and Preston as they remain fourth in the table and are now 12 points behind leaders Bristol City.

This was another lacklustre performance from Mark Cooper’s side, who failed to test visiting keeper Stuart Nelson throughout the 90 minutes at the County Ground, and they have now won just once in the last six games, taking four points in that time.

Cody McDonald put the visitors in front just before the half-hour mark and Town’s hopes of a fightback came crashing down in 18 second-half seconds when Jake Hessenthaler doubled the lead.

And there was still time for Gills to inflict more misery on the home side as McDonald bagged his second in the dying minutes to cap a woeful night for Town.

Nathan Byrne and Michael Smith failed to make the most of early openings for Town, opting to pass in the box when a shot would have been the better option, and the first genuine chance came at the other end. John Marquis fed strike partner McDonald to race in on Wes Foderingham’s goal but he lashed the wrong side of the post.

Town responded and a corner found its way to Raphael Branco to smash goalwards but the ball bounced off team-mate Massimo Luongo and, after a bit of pinball in the box, an offside flag came to Gillingham’s rescue.

Swindon’s Andy Williams was then denied by a vital goalline clearance when he climbed highest at the back post to meet a deep cross from Smith, with a Gills defender getting his body in the way of the effort.

And the visitors made the most of the reprieve to take the lead against the run of play. Gills skipper Doug Loft sent in a low cross from the left and McDonald made space for himself in the box to flick out a cheeky back-heel and send the ball past Foderingham into the bottom corner.

Town then huffed and puffed but were unable to find a leveller before the break. Their best effort came when Harry Toffolo whipped in a free-kick from the right but the ball somehow eluded everyone in the box and drifted agonisingly wide of the far post.

The hosts needed a big half-time team-talk but whatever boss Cooper said went out of the window within 18 seconds of the restart as Gillingham double their lead. Bradley Dack skipped down the left to fire in a cross and Hessenthaler flicked home a header at the near post.

The goal was a hammer blow for Town and although they tried to force a way back into the game they never really threatened a stoic Gills defence, while boss Cooper left the crowd less than impressed with uninspired substitutions, initially only making like-for-like replacements up front.

Substitute Jon Obika headed over the top from a corner, while Luongo saw an effort from the edge of the box deflected over the bar.

Cooper finally rolled the dice with a quarter-of-an-hour to play, withdrawing defender Branco with the more attacking Ben Gladwin, and he had the hosts’ best chance of the night, crashing a shot against the post from 10 yards.

But with Town pushing forward, their fate was sealed in the dying minutes when McDonald bagged his second of the night. A long ball from keeper Nelson caught out the Town defence and McDonald was on hand to send the ball past Foderingham.

SWINDON TOWN: Foderingham, Branco (Gladwin 74), N Thompson (c), Turnbull, Byrne, Kasim, Swift, Luongo, Toffolo, Williams (Hylton 62), Smith (Obika 53). Subs not used: Belford, Barthram, Rodgers, Ouldridge.

GILLINGHAM: Nelson, Hoyte, Egan, Ehmer, Martin, Pitchard, Loft (c), Hessenthaler, Dack, Marquis (Norris 79), McDonald. Subs not used: G Morris, Legge, McGlashan, Galbraith, A Morris, Dickenson.

Referee: Tim Robinson

Attendance: 7,052 (278)