Gillingham Manager Mark Stimson believes that his team gained a point rather than losing two after he watched his ten men draw 0-0 with the Latics. Goalkeeper Simon Royce was sent off in the first-half and Stimson told the official Gills website, "We knew before the game that it was going to be very tough as Oldham Athletic have done very well on their travels and they don't give a lot away. We knew we had to be on our game. One good thing tonight was the conditions were good, the wind wasn't as strong as it has been in the last few home games and there was no rain so we were pleased with that. The pitch looked good before the game. We started the game quite bright and as early as the first minute, I thought there was a big decision to be made. We didn't get that as the referee waved it down. The players were saying at half-time that it was a certain penalty. We had to get on with the game and unfortunately we had Simon Royce sent-off. I haven't watched it on the video yet but my first reaction was that was probably the only thing the referee got right, "Roycey" had to go. After that, it is difficult with ten men. The boys gave me absolutely everything and that is all I ask of the players. Play for the club and play with your hearts. They did that tonight. They dug in and there were a couple of times, with maybe some better finishing, that Oldham might've scored. They didn't though and we have kept a good, clean sheet."Stimson -
Gillingham Manager Mark Stimson believes that his team gained a point rather than losing two after he watched his ten men draw 0-0 with the Latics. Goalkeeper Simon Royce was sent off in the first-half and Stimson told the official Gills website, "We knew before the game that it was going to be very tough as Oldham Athletic have done very well on their travels and they don't give a lot away. We knew we had to be on our game. One good thing tonight was the conditions were good, the wind wasn't as strong as it has been in the last few home games and there was no rain so we were pleased with that. The pitch looked good before the game. We started the game quite bright and as early as the first minute, I thought there was a big decision to be made. We didn't get that as the referee waved it down. The players were saying at half-time that it was a certain penalty. We had to get on with the game and unfortunately we had Simon Royce sent-off. I haven't watched it on the video yet but my first reaction was that was probably the only thing the referee got right, "Roycey" had to go. After that, it is difficult with ten men. The boys gave me absolutely everything and that is all I ask of the players. Play for the club and play with your hearts. They did that tonight. They dug in and there were a couple of times, with maybe some better finishing, that Oldham might've scored. They didn't though and we have kept a good, clean sheet.""I think you want to win every home game that you go into. If you don't win it, you want the next best thing which is a draw. On Saturday, we didn't get either of those so we had to make sure that we started building again tonight. We have to start another run going. My brief to the players before the game was short and sharp and was about getting a run going again, being focused as we're playing against two dangerous strikers and they will hit the ball from back to front quite early. That is what happened when "Roycey" got sent-off. It wasn't a move but one hit over the top. "Roycey" made the decision to come out and he is saying that the ball has hit his hand. Referees are probably going to send players off for that unfortunately."
"Obviously we had to bring a goalkeeper on so I was thinking which player do I take off so I can bring Derek Stillie on? It was a tough decision and the reason I picked "Crofty" was because I thought Miller would give us a bit more attacking play, Thurgood would hold it in the middle of the pitch and Mark Bentley has got great height for set-pieces for and against so he is very important. That is why we went there. "Crofty" is probably feeling down as he was subbed but this is a good point. The boys who played should be pretty pleased with their performance."
"Our players thought it was a penalty in the first minute. Sometimes when you look at players reactions, and there were four or five players around the referee when it happened, that tells you a story. We didn't get it. In the second-half, we possibly could've but it was just frustrating for me that Leroy Griffiths comes on, does a shoulder barge, and because of Leroy's physical side, the boy ends up off the pitch. I saw one of their centre-halves do that to one of our strikers in the box in the first-half but we didn't get anything. Consistency - that is the hardest word for referees. Then again, that is the hardest word for Gillingham at the moment."
"We said at half-time that it would be a test of character, patience and most of all, you need to stay focused. We said after the game that it was a good point. The players have to take a lot of confidence from this as with the desire we showed with ten men, and I'm not saying they didn't show it with eleven men on the pitch, it is there so go and do it from the start. This is a great point. I said to the players that three points is the best and a point is next best. We got that and it was a great point for what we had to face. We faced a team who have done well on their travels this year with two very good strikers. To play sixty-five minutes with ten men against them, that is a great point. The boys can take a lot from that tonight. Lee Hughes and Craig Davies are a good strike partnership. They've scored a few goals this year and I think they'll go on to score many more."
"Unfortunately it was the lowest home league attendance of the season but that is understandable after our disappointing result on Saturday. It can be expensive for people to come to football twice a week. The vocal backing, I thought that was outstanding tonight and full credit to all the supporters who sung. It makes the game more enjoyable and you can even get excited at nil-nil. A lot of supporters took their frustration out on the referee rather than some of our players. That is good. Don't take it out on our players, they are the ones who need the encouragement. Some nights, it isn't going to go for you. I think the crowd tonight saw what I am about. The team showed that with the passion and work-ethic; it went right through the team."