Gills manager Justin Edinburgh reflects on Saturday's 0-0 draw at Sheffield United
Manager Justin Edinburgh felt the Gills were denied a late penalty in Saturday's gutsy 0-0 draw against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.
Luke Norris's 77th-minute shot from close range was seemingly cleared off the line by United defender Jay McEveley's hand.
It was the second penalty appeal that the Gills had after the break; the first coming when Andrew Crofts was brought down by Ryan Flynn on the edge of the box.
“Certainly the ref got the first one right, I think the initial contact [on Crofts] was outside the box,” said Edinburgh.
“But there was a blatant handball off the line for the second one, it was a blatant penalty, it should have been given [along with a] sending off.
“It disappoints me as the linesman took part in the first one, he made the ref aware that the contact was outside the box when he looked like he was going to give it, and that's great.
“But I don't understand why he's not got involved in the second, he was in a good position, he should see the player's arms have gone up and stopped the ball going across the line.”
The draw saw the Gills keep their fifth clean sheet in six games, but was the second-successive match in which have they failed to score.
Wins for Bradford and Millwall see them leapfrog the Gills in the play-off places, with the club now fifth, albeit with a game in hand on all those above them.
“Stuart Nelson has had a fine season, this is his fifth clean sheet in six, he'll be delighted with that,” Edinburgh added.
“We've got to get our creativity back, we just made some wrong decisions in final third today whereas prior to last couple of games we've been really on it.
“It's going right to the wire; I think Wigan are clear, but second spot is still up for grabs.”