Gillingham finished Saturday’s game with nine men but manager Gareth Ainsworth admitted he liked the fighting spirit within his side.
Joe Gbode and Jonny Williams both picked up second bookings in the game, leaving the Gills down to nine men for the final few seconds of their game against Swindon Town, which finished 1-1.
Report: Gillingham 1 Swindon 1
Those dismissals came too late in the game to have an impact, with referee Neil Hair blowing for full-time shortly after dishing out the red cards.
Commenting afterwards, Ainsworth said: “Joe’s a great lad. He wants to win and he wants to stand up for himself.
“I don’t know what’s gone on but there’s a scuffle in the goalmouth and the assistant referee’s called it. Unfortunately, Joe’s got second yellow.
“They (Swindon) didn’t seem to get punished that badly but it’s football and then just before that, Jonny gets sent off on a second yellow. I think he said it’s his first red card.
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“I don’t want red cards, but I like the fight in them. I like that they are standing up for themselves, and they are doing the right things for me.
“I think Jonny’s is probably a fair one. It’s a counter-attack. We’re going for the win. We’re a little bit open at the back. It’s the last minutes and we’re going: ‘Right, we’re going for this’.
“They broke on us, and Jonny took him out. He’s on a yellow. Fair play, that happens. It’s a professional foul, so Jonny gets the first red in his career. But again, I don’t mind that ‘you’re not going to score past us’ attitude.
“I didn’t know it was nine against eleven at the end. I thought, surely both of them have been sent off. I’m glad it was only ten seconds (remaining)!”
Substitute Gbode had broken the deadlock after the hour mark, with his second goal in two games, but Swindon levelled through former Gills defender Will Wright’s free-kick.
Ainsworth, now eight without a loss since taking charge, said: “We’re unbeaten, which is still really good. I’m really proud of that.
“I think there were one or two shots on target from Swindon. Nothing major. The free-kick’s obviously a brilliant free kick. I think (Gills goalkeeper) Glenn Morris’ vision was impaired and he’s just caught him off at the right time.
“For our goal, Aaron Rowe produced some brilliant magic (with the assist) and you need those magic moments in the team. I was really pleased Joe’s got another goal. He’s finished well. He’s growing all the time.”
Ainsworth admitted they needed to make changes for the second half to make an impact. Gbode came on shortly after the restart as Elliott Nevitt went off injured.
“We changed shape at half-time,” he said. “We put more pressure on their back line.
“I thought we were the better team in the second half. We just needed a couple of passes to come together well and I think we’d have won the game.
“It was (a game against) my old gaffer (Ian Holloway) and it’s an honour to manage against somebody who’s managed where he’s managed and managed that amount of games.
“He said to me: ‘Fair credit to you, you’ll do well next year’.
“It’s not always going to go well. At half-time, I could feel a little bit of like nervousness, but stick with us. We will give everything. Those boys are giving everything.
“I’m really proud. Thank you, fans. Everyone gave everything and to see the season out like that at Priestfield was a nice thing.”
