Gillingham boss was very disappointed

Last updated : 10 February 2008 By The Chairman

Gillingham Manager Mark Stimson was very disappointed with the way his side succumbed to defeat at Athletic. After taking an early lead they allowed the Latics to fight back and take all three points. It was the way that they did it that disappointed the Gill's boss and the result means that Gillingham have now gone six matches without a win.

He explained to the official Gillingham website, "It was a disappointing end to the match. The first half hour was a bright period and we looked like we were on the front foot. We scored a half-decent goal and then you think this could be the day. We silenced the crowd who were looking like they could turn on their own team at any minute but we couldn't hold out until half-time and they got that goal back. We went in at 1-1 and I said to the players that if we don't get something today, then we will be disappointed. We didn't test their goalkeeper enough. He went down injured in the first-half so we said to the boys at half-time to put the ball into the box. For some unknown reason, we didn't do that. By not doing that, we stood back and let Oldham come at us. At the end, it was a fantastic strike to win it by an international player. Simon Royce has probably been our best player and he has got a great chance of winning the Player of the Year award. He wasn't really tested by Oldham, but you always feel that a player like Craig Davies is going to test you as he is a good player. He was frustrated in the first-half and there were a lot of people in the stadium who were just as frustrated. You know he is going to get a chance and he certainly took it."

"With players, they sometimes do the simple things and it works so they stop doing it and try something different. That is probably why players who are playing at this level are not playing in the Premier League. Good Premier League players would've continued doing what we were doing in the first half hour, worked more opportunities and maybe got another couple of goals. Some of our players decided not to do that. For their first goal, we had possession in the last third. I thought we should've put a cross in, we didn't and we went for the square ball. That was cut out and they broke at good pace and scored. Even for the second goal, Adam Miller has put great pressure on their right back, it's up the top end of the pitch so you're thinking it is great and you're going to get something here and within ten seconds, the ball is in the back of our net. That is very frustrating and the boys have got to learn from it. They'll be as disappointed as me and the travelling supporters as this is the lowest point so far this season for me because I've always thought that in the next game, we'd get a win. After drawing at home to Cheltenham in our last game, I thought the Oldham game could've been the start of a winning run. It wasn't to be and the only way to get forward is to roll your sleeves up, give it everything you have got, be honest and stand up and be counted now; that is what is needed."

"I have total belief because we are not too far away. It is about keeping the concentration for 45 minutes, then have your de-brief at half-time before going again. We did that until about the 40th minute at Oldham. We was a goal up, we deserved that but we switched off at an important time, just before half-time, and in the second-half, we didn't go out and play with the same purpose as we did in the first-half."