Lovell pleased with fighting spirit and renewed form of Josh Parker.
Gillingham Manager Steve Lovell was happy that his side showed great resolve to get another important point against Wycombe Wanderers in terrible conditions at the Medway Priestfield Stadium on Saturday.
Goals from Adam El-Abd and Nathan Tyson had put the Chairboys in command at half-time, however a much improved second-half saw the Gills fightback bravely and goals from League One’s top scorer, Tom Eaves, and a bullet header from Josh Parker earned the home side a share of the spoils in a 2-2 draw.
Lovell was left disappointed with the Gills’ first-half display with Wycombe haring out of the traps, putting the home side under pressure and not allowing Gillingham’s danger men to get on the ball.
“If we start well, we get results and make the game easy for ourselves, but we didn’t start very well and they deserved to be in the lead. They pressed us hard and deserved it.
“They had some lively players which caused us problems and sometimes you’ve got to give credit to the opposition. They played very, very well in the first-half and caused us a lot of problems but I thought we were too slow to close them down.”
It was certainly a game of two halves and Lovell was delighted with the response of the Gills after the break, fighting tooth and nail to get back on level pegging.
“At half-time we would have taken a point, but we changed things up and had a go second-half because we had to. We forgot the first-half, and I just said that it was a Hartlepool away.
“We took the game to them and got two good goals. Tomas has made a couple of saves in goal, but Josh Parker could have won it for us if he took a touch [at the end].
“The Rainham End got behind us and they definitely helped us along, so I’m pleased that we got the point."
Josh Parker got the equalising goal as well as scooping the man of the match bubbly, and Lovell was delighted with the forward’s revitalised form.
“I’m pleased that he has come back, and he’s been close to the old Josh Parker. There’s still a little way to go but there is still half a season to go.
“If he continues the way he is doing then he will [reach double figures]. But it is the other things he brings to the table as well, like the assist he got without touching the ball for Tom Eaves’ goal. He edged the centre half out of the way, he couldn’t head the ball and so it had ended up with Tom.
“He works hard, he keeps going, he’s intelligent and he helps other people on the pitch. He can pop up with goals like that and it was a great header.”