Gillingham were outclassed by Ipswich Town at Priestfield as the visitors cruised to victory.

The Gills were torn apart during a torrid first 23 minutes that saw James Norwood, Wes Burns and Macauley Bonne score for the visitors. Gillingham played the last 20 minutes with 10 men after Dan Phillips’ red card and Conor Chaplin made it 4-0 for Ipswich from the penalty spot.

Boss Steve Evans made just one change to the side that had defended so well the week before at MK Dons.

David Tutonda came in for Danny Lloyd as boss Steve Evans shuffled things around. Robbie McKenzie was deployed in attack as chief support for striker Vadaine Olvier. Captain Kyle Dempsey was originally named on the bench but replaced in the squad after the warm-up.

The visitors showed a bit of what they were about as early as the first minute and Gillingham were grateful that Burns lost his footing when in on goal.

It didn’t take long for Ipswich to take the lead, Norwood getting on the end of Sam Morsy’s cross after he had been picked out in space by Bonne.

A second goal arrived on 13 minutes, Bonne playing in Burns down the right and his angled drive beat Gills keeper Jamie Cumming.

There was a pause in play as Stuart O’Keefe received some treatment, which gave the Gills management time to chat with the team, but soon enough it was more of the same from the visitors.

Gillingham were picked apart again for the third goal, on 23 minutes, when Sone Aluko sent Matt Penney away down the left with a super ball and the subsequent cross was tapped home by Bonne.

Ipswich had been far superior to the Gills in the opening half, limiting the hosts to just scraps in the away box. Vadaine Oliver headed a chance over and a cross from Ryan Jackson wasn’t far off being converted by McKenzie.

Gillingham were booed off at the interval in contrast to the big away following who had been cheering every pass with an “ole” since before the half-hour mark.

Boss Steve Evans had new signing Tom Dickson-Peters on the bench and he was introduced for the second half. McKenzie reverted to a more familiar defensive role and David Tutonda - who was making his first start in three months - was taken off.

There was some intensity about Gills’ play at the start of the second half but Ipswich were able to ride it out without too much fuss.

Gillingham had little hope of getting back into it but there was a big call from referee Alan Young that went against them. Mustapha Carayol was chasing a long ball forward and Ipswich keeper Christian Walton came a long way out of his box to win the ball with what looked like his hands. Mr Young didn’t agree.

Ipswich threatened to score another. Lee Evans blasted over while George Edmundson fired low at goal but Cumming saved comfortably enough.

Gillingham had to play the final stages with 10 men. Phillips’ second yellow card on 73 minutes for a foul came just four minutes after his first for dissent. Mr Young didn’t take kindly to his protests after believing his shot had taken a deflection and should have been a corner rather than a goal-kick.

Ipswich scored a fourth from the penalty spot with five minutes left when substitute Joe Pigott was fouled inside the box as a corner was played in. Max Ehmer was harshly adjudged to have been the guilty man and Chaplin fired home.

Morsy hit a shot off the bar in stoppage-time for Ipswich while the Gills finished the game without an effort on target.

• Reaction: A feeble and weak performance

Gillingham: Cumming, Jackson, McKenzie, Ehmer, Bennett, Tucker, O’Keefe, Phillips, Tutonda (Dickson-Peters 46mins), Carayol (Lloyd 79mins), Oliver. Subs not used: Chapman, Lintott, Lee, Reeves, Sithole.

Ipswich: Walton, Donacien, Woolfenden, Edmundson, Burns, Aluko (Chaplin 80mins), Morsy, Evans, Penney, Bonne (Pigott 71mins), Norwood (Jackson 71mins). Subs not used: Hladky, Burgess, Vincent-Young, Carroll.

Referee: Alan Young

Attendance: 6,401 (2,073 away)