Gillingham manager Gareth Ainsworth hopes his team can build on their midweek performance at Cheltenham – even though they lost.
The Gills were on top in the opening half, and should have added to Ronan Hale’s opener, but the home side fought back after the break to win 2-1.
If any game summed up Gillingham’s season, this was it. Decent early on but unable to sustain it.
Ainsworth said: “The boys did brilliant, they gave everything but, unfortunately, we’ve not got a result.
“It’s goals. It’s been here for a few years. We’re bringing in players like Ronan to try and address that and score chances.
“I’m gutted and I’m hoping the fans have seen a good performance, that they’re going, ‘Right, yeah, we can build on that’. I certainly have.
“We’ve created enough chances to win two games – and we’ve been guilty of not creating a lot of chances in the past.
“It was great play, sensational stuff. First half, we had loads of chances to put the game to bed and at half-time we should come in 3-0 up, honestly. I’m saying that, probably being generous to Cheltenham.
“But if you don’t take chances, you’re going to get bitten. We did, we got bitten at the end and you can’t afford to miss chances like that.”
The Gills had been hoping to build on a positive run of results, taking four points over the Easter weekend.
Ainsworth had been confident that his team could keep the run going and achieve his target of beating last season’s points tally of 58. Even that’s looking unlikely, now needing to win all three of their remaining games.
“The lads are down, but we’ll get back up,” he predicted.
“We’ve got a big game now at home on Saturday against Grimsby. I’m looking forward to that.
“We’ve three games to go now. We’ve got to make sure that we’re competitive in all the games. Three big games coming up, so let’s go for it.”
Grimsby also lost 2-1 on Tuesday night but their season isn’t over. They have four games left with a chance of making the play-offs and will be desperate for points at Priestfield.
Ainsworth may have to shuffle his pack again with defender Andy Smith going off on Tuesday with a head injury. Midfielder Robbie McKenzie returned and played the full game but he took a heavy challenge to his ankle.
Conor Masterson also made a return to the starting line-up after a lengthy spell out injured and lasted 68 minutes.
“We knew [Conor] would be flagging” said the Gills boss.
“He’s not played. He’s been out for a long time. I think it’s only about his sixth or seventh start this season, which is tough for Conor, because he’s a committed player who wants to do well.
“Robbie McKenzie as well, his first start for a while. That’s a positive for us. One or two others are getting a chance of a run out and I’m pleased with where we are.
“If we keep creating chances like that [on Tuesday[ then there’s no way we can not win games.
“I thought Sam Vokes was magnificent in the first half and then that shot from Ronan, brilliant. He’s going to score goals. He’s in [here] to score goals. We need to add to that. We need more.
“We need more goals at times because we created a lot of chances and Cheltenham only created three or four and scored two. We’ve got seven.
“I think we had three [chances] from a yard, honestly. In one move there was two and then there was [another], and then there was a clean through. I’m like, ‘Oh, put one in, boys, at least!’
“[Losing] was tough to take for me because we deserve so much more.”
