Cherries crashed out of the FA Cup at the first hurdle tonight at Priestfield.

Having failed to hold on to a 3-1 lead at Seward Stadium two weeks ago, Lee Bradbury’s men were forced into a replay.

And the visitors were comprehensively outplayed by Andy Hessenthaler’s side, who will now face Leyton Orient in the second round.

Curtis Weston handed the hosts the lead on 21 minutes, before Andy Frampton’s own goal 10 minutes into the second half gave Cherries hope.

But Garry Richards made it 2-1 on 75 minutes and substitute Stefan Payne gave Gills a two-goal cushion seven minutes from time.

Harry Arter’s textbook free kick in stoppage time made it a nervy finish for Gills, but the hosts held on throughout four minutes of added time.

Bradbury opted to keep faith the same starting 11 from the first tie at Seward Stadium on November 12.

The hosts started the better of the two sides, with both Jack Payne and Weston forcing Darryl Flahavan into routine saves inside the opening 10 minutes.

And as Hessenthaler’s men continued to dominate, Lewis Montrose fired wide after being expertly played in by the impressive Weston.

And it was Weston who handed the home side a deserved lead moments later when he drilled home from around 25 yards after latching on to Adam Barrett’s clearance.

Cherries’ only meaningful chance came three minutes before half-time when Marc Pugh fed the charging Simon Francis, but the former Charlton man’s shot on the run was pushed round the post by Ross Flitney in the Gills goal.

The visitors started the second half in far more positive fashion with Arter’s shot from distance after 51 minutes flying narrowly wide, but Gills then went close to doubling their advantage.

Substitute Stefan Payne picked up Danny Kedwell’s neat flick-on but could only watch as his rasping long-range drive was pushed away by Flahavan.

But almost immediately, Scott Malone burst clear to cross from the left flank and Gills captain Frampton turned the ball into his own net for an unlikely equaliser.

Cherries could have taken the lead just after the hour but Pugh’s snapshot was beaten away by Flitney, before Gills regained the lead 15 minutes from time.

Cherries failed to deal with Lee’s ball across the face of goal and Richards was on hand for a simple tap-in at the far post.

And things went from bad to worse for Bradbury’s men when Stefan Payne buried a pinpoint shot past Flahavan from just inside the box after being played in by Frampton.

With just seven minutes remaining, there was little time for Cherries to mount a comeback, although Arter’s free kick gave the travelling fans from Dorset something to smile about in stoppage time.

Gills: (4-5-1) Flitney; Lee, Frampton, Richards, Martin; Oli (Fish, 81), J Payne, Weston (Rance, 90), Montrose, Whelpdale (S Payne, h-t); Kedwell.

Unused subs: King, Evans, Miller, Gazzaniga (g/k).

Booked: J Payne.

Cherries: (4-4-2) Flahavan; Francis, Barrett, Zubar, Cummings (Gregory, 83); Pugh, Arter, Purches (Cooper, 77), Malone; Thomas, Symes (Fletcher, 77) Unused subs: Carmichael, Lindsey, Taylor, Jalal (g/k).

Booked: Symes, Cummings.

Referee: Fred Graham (Essex).