Gillingham’s matchday captain Max Ehmer was left fuming over a big decision that went against them on Saturday.
Just minutes before Gills had gone behind at Newport – a goal which turned out to be the winner – Ehmer felt they should have had a penalty after he was “rugby tackled” to the floor.
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Gillingham had a chance to score from a corner, whipped into the box by Connor Mahoney. But the Gills defender was left on the deck after Newport’s Scott Bennett clung onto him before sending him tumbling. Despite Ehmer’s protest, referee Ollie Yates waved play on.
Five minutes later Will Evans wrapped his foot around a cross to volley in for Newport.
Commenting afterwards on the penalty appeal, Ehmer was still unhappy and said: “He (Bennett) is not looking at the ball, he is only holding me, a rugby tackle.
“The referee probably gave us three fouls all game, he gave them 40 fouls, so he was never going to give that, some of the decisions he made I was a bit bewildered, but it is what it is.”
Ehmer said the referee “didn’t want to talk to me” and added: “If you are not looking at the ball and the ball is behind you, but you are only grabbing me, is that a penalty?”
It was a big moment in a game full of frustration for the Gills.
With so few clear-cut chances, the Gills needed something to go their way, and in the end it didn’t, heading home beaten 1-0.
“I don’t think we deserved to lose the game,” Ehmer said.
“It was a great strike from the boy (to win it) but we had a couple of chances that we couldn’t put in the net. It’s frustrating but luckily we have another game on Tuesday to rectify it.
“It was one bit of magic that ended up winning the game, it’s frustrating on our behalf because we think we can stop every goal and we will have to go over it, but we have had a couple of half chances that on another day could have gone for us.
“We didn’t get that right ball or that right connection to level it up but we can’t dwell on it because we have another game coming up.”
Gillingham host the league leaders Stockport County on Tuesday, a side that got thumped 4-0 at lowly Tranmere on Saturday.
“Anyone can beat anyone,” said Ehmer. “That’s been the case if you look through the results and scores every Saturday, it is just about making sure we turn up on the day.
“We go into that game full of confidence.
“All of our players know that we have conceded a goal (at Newport), a good goal, but it could have been stopped. We have had our chances to win the game and on another day it could have been 1-0 to us.
“It was a great finish, he is having a great season Evans, it is frustrating, but there is nothing we can do it about it now. We have to look forward to the next game on Tuesday. We will dust ourselves down and get ready for that.”
