Gareth Ainsworth was frustrated as his Gillingham side found themselves on the wrong side of the important moments in Tuesday night's 2-0 defeat against Swindon Town.
The Gills boss credited Aaron Drinan for capitalising on a mix-up at the back for the hosts, but was left lamenting the error that led to the opening goal. The Gills were denied twice in the game by two fantastic saves by Connor Ripley, with his save from Omar Beckles' header proving the standout, as Swindon did enough to prevent Gillingham from scoring.
Following the heavy defeats against MK Dons and Cambridge, Ainsworth was glad to see a positive response from his side despite the result. However, he reiterated the need to cut out the individual errors, which will be addressed.
Harry Waldock has started the last two league games, making his professional league debut [vs Cambridge] and playing a league fixture at the MEMS Priestfield Stadium for the first time [vs Swindon]. The Gillingham manager was delighted for the 19-year-old, who held his own again on Tuesday.
Responding to the previous two games...
It was a million miles away from the last two games, and that is because the more established players are back. We aren't so young, and we aren't so naïve. That is what you get. I am just gutted for the boys because they have given everything there, they really have. Unfortunately, we came away with nothing.
In the last two games, performances have been way off and nowhere near good enough. We had some really serious chats with the boys, we had some sit downs, and I had a real big meeting on Monday, going through the video from Saturday. Believe me, I don't want to be doing that again.
My Mother's Day was taken with watching the game back, picking out the clips, and thinking how horrendous we were, and then showing it to the boys on Monday, which they have got to take on the chin. This is football. You don't make mistakes and get away with it. I need to pull you on that, and I will be pulling on the goals, definitely, because that moment has killed us.
This should be a 0-0, where we have gone, 'How have we not scored? How have we not got anything out of this game?' I think that the fans know that. They were great, and they really got right behind us.
Being on the wrong end of important moments in the game...
Their boy is a clinical striker and has scored a lot of goals this season, [Aaron] Drinan, and you have to give him credit for it, but there is a big mistake. Two of us go for the same ball, and that cannot happen. You just cannot do that. We don't coach that. We coach covering each other, and one going for the ball. For some reason, two have gone for the same ball, left a man, and that man goes and scores. That happens sometimes.
Connor Ripley is a top-quality keeper, and he has proved that. He made an unbelievable save at their place from an Ethan Coleman header, and how he has scooped it off the line tonight, it's a David Raya type save. Then, in the second-half, the shot from Max Clark across the goal; it just isn't falling for us, and Ronan [Hale] was having a scramble at the back stick there.
He is going to score goals. He had a cracking effort in the first-half, with the top corner one, and Bradley [Dack] has had a couple of shots.
Harry Waldock breaking into the first team...
A special mention for Harry Waldock on his home debut. Again, he didn't deserve to be on the losing side today, but I thought that he had a cracking game as well, which is brilliant for the future of this club.
It is excellent. It is really, really good. I have said that the future is bright here. When you have got Sam Gale from the academy setup, Bradley, although that was many years ago, and Harry Waldock; that is three players from our academy setup in the team tonight. That is brilliant, it really is, and that deserves to be recognised.
