A CHASTENING evening at the Priestfield Stadium put an end to Crewe's 10-game unbeaten run.

Dave Artell's side's fate was effectively sealed after a first-half defensive nightmare. The Gills proved awkward customers when winning at Gresty Road in November and their direct style ruffled up Crewe again.

But the Railwaymen also sealed their own fate with some sloppy work in and around the box.

Travis Johnson had stepped in for Billy Jones at right-back and when the youngster pushed Jordan Graham in the back as the Gills striker moved into the box, Graham picked himself up to send Dave Richards the wrong way from the spot (11).

Olly Lee may have benefited from a kind bounce which allowed him to take Graham's delivery past Omar Beckles and drive in the second (38), but Crewe just looked too brittle at the back.

Worse was to follow before the break when Tommy Lowery's attempt to play the ball out from the edge of the box, a risky option to say the least, allowed Kyle Dempsey to slip clear to finish right-footed into the corner on the stroke of half-time.

Crewe created little at the other end. Oli Finney may have done better with a shot he dug out that keeper was able to save comfortably with his feet in the first minute of the game, while Owen Dale's far-post blast was blocked later in the half.

After the restart Dale blazed over when Rio Adebisi's pull back invited a finish before the Alex fell further behind in the 62nd minute. Lee grabbed his second when beating Adebisi at the near post to loop a header over Richards after Connor Ogilvie headed on Ryan Jackson's long throw.

That goal, if anything, summed up Gillingham's approach and it proved to be very effective on a night when Crewe's defensive shortcomings, perhaps a consequence of the back four's current transitory state, were exposed.

Chris Porter headed in with 10 minutes left after sub Antony Evans broke free to deliver from the right, but it was a mere consolation.

Off the bench for the final 20 minutes, the on-loan Paderborn midfielder, offered some forward thrust on his Alex debut and he could have reduced the arrears further when he drove wide in the closing minutes.

Boss Artell said afterwards: "Gillingham deserved to win, I've got no complaints. Too many had substandard, below-par games and when you come here you know that they're going to be in your face.

"We gave them three very soft goals and you definitely can't do that here. To hand them the initiative like we did was poor. That first half cost us the game."

"There are lessons to be learned, especially as it ends our unbeaten run which is disappointing.

"Ant Evans was very good when he came on. He created a goal and could and should scored one as well. It was our first look at him and he did well."

Gillingham: Bonham; Jackson, Tucker, Cundy, Ogilvie; Dempsey, Slattery; Graham (McDonald), Lee (O'Keefe), O'Connor; Oliver (Akinde). Subs: Willock, McKenzie, Johnson

Crewe: Richards; Travis Johnson, Lancashire, Beckles, Adibisi; Wintle (Evans), Lowery (Murphy), Finney; Kirk (Griffiths), Porter, Dale (Walker). Subs: Jaaskelainen, Sass-Davies, Mandron.