Gillingham were already a goal behind before the manager felt his side started to play against Tranmere Rovers.
The home side opened the scoring after 17 minutes but the Gills levelled it up with an own-goal just before the break and that’s how it stayed until the final whistle.
Report: Tranmere 1 Gillingham 1
While the home team were booed off by their fans, a point didn’t do the Gills much good in their pursuit of a top-seven place. They end the weekend further adrift, now down in 17th and 13 points off the play-off positions.
“I thought we could have been better,” said manager John Coleman.
“I must thank the travelling fans, fantastic. Coming in the numbers, such a long way. So, a big thank you for that.
“I thought we could have done better for them, to be honest. It took us about half an hour to wake up.
“We worked on how they played that system and we let them get in too easily, three or four times in the first half.
“We did have chances ourselves in the first half, and on balance of the chances created, probably going in at half-time was a fair result.
“I thought second half we really stepped it up, first ten minutes, and I thought we were going to go on and win the game and then we hit a bit of a brick wall.
“They got a second wind. Put a lot of ball in our box without really looking like either team scoring.
“I thought Robbie (McKenzie) had pinched at the end with the deflection. He’s had a good chance with a header at the back post as well.
“Overall, without playing what I would say at our best, you’d have to be happy coming away with a point, even though once you get to know me, you’ll know I’m not pleased with (single) points.
“I want to win games. That’s two games I’ve played now and we haven’t won, and I want to get back to winning ways.
“Thankfully we’ve got that curse of not scoring out of the way, even though they did score for us.”
Gillingham’s goal came after a home defender turned in Bradley Dack’s cross.
It was the first goal of 2025 for the Gills.
Coleman added: “I know we can be better and we have to be better. If we’re going to try and climb the league, we’ve got to perform better.
“I think we are defending slightly better, but I’d like us to be a bit more attacking.
“I’m disappointed that we didn’t step on in the second half and go and win the game, because I think the game was there to be won.
“(I was) alarmed at some of the things I saw in the second half as well.”
