Gillingham’s head coach admitted to having a “difficult conversation” with keeper Jake Turner after sticking with Glenn Morris in goal on Saturday.
Morris made his first league appearance of the season last weekend to help the Gillingham to a 1-0 win over Wrexham, following an injury to regular no.1 Turner, and decided against switching back for the match at Salford, which the Gills won 2-0.
Clemence: It was never going to be pretty
Morris wasn’t overly tested at Salford but made a couple of impressive late interventions in the closing stages of the League 2 match at the Peninsula Stadium.
It’s now two clean sheets from two for Morris – last season’s first-choice keeper and player-of-the-year – and once again it’s his shirt to try and keep hold of, now at the age of 40.
Clemence said: “It was a very difficult conversation to have with Jake on Friday morning because he has the joint most clean sheets in the division but I felt when Glenn came in he did well.
“I haven’t seen Glenn, he’s probably the only one in the squad who I haven’t given a chance to and I didn’t want to change that team after the Wrexham game.
“Jake has got to keep going and support Glenn now, like Glenn supported Jake, and let’s see what happens now and the end of the season.
“I am very lucky to have two outstanding goalkeepers.”
Also coming off the bench late on to make his first league appearance under Clemence was captain Shaun Williams.
Clemence said: “Shaun has trained well for a long, long time and been unfortunate to not be involved more.
“You have to make some tough decisions in this job, that has been one of them.
“He has conducted himself really well and he’s been a top professional around the place.
“You can see why he’s still playing at 37 years old because of the way he trains and the way he is around the club.
“I was pleased for him when he came on and he did well when he came on, so that’s good.”
George Lapslie had been back training for a couple of days after a hamstring strain but Clemence didn’t feel he was ready to be involved again.
