Gillingham fashioned the first big chance after seven minutes when Stan Sargent did well to keep the ball in down the left and delivered a ball in for Jimmy Heasman to head, but Lucas Myers denied him. Minutes later The Gills again had the chance to take the lead as Heasman found Harry Waldock on the edge of the area. He chopped away from a defender and had a go but Myers was there again.
But it was Swindon who drew first blood. Owen Foye won possession after a ball up the line and Botan Ameen was picked out with plenty of space in the middle. He strolled forward and drilled an effort low into the bottom corner from 25 yards.
Town stepped up after the goal and took control of proceedings, stroking the ball around with purpose and threatening without quite making the most of their pressure. Harry Chard curled a free kick wide of the top corner and Gillingham got the game going quickly and went up the other end for Joe Orpwood to lift the ball over Myers and into the net to level it. A lovely move saw Swindon play from their own goal kick all the way forward and saw Ameen spin a pass to the edge of the box.
Foye raced onto it, brought the ball under his spell and fired low but Sullivan got down to it. Late in the first half, there was a big turning point as Foye beat Orpwood to a loose ball, the defender brought him down and having already been booked saw a second yellow for the challenge. Swindon looked to make the most of their man advantage before the break with Gonzalez, Al.