Ady Pennock reacts to narrow 1-0 home defeat.
Gillingham Head Coach Adrian Pennock rued missed chances and decisions that went against his team but believes the Gills are showing positive signs despite defeat in their first home league game of the season at MEMS Priestfield against Bradford City.
Bradford took the lead through Dominic Poleon in the first half before Conor Wilkinson was shown a straight red card following a late tackle by the corner flag after 74 minutes, before Gabriel Zakuani’s equaliser was ruled out by the linesman in the final seconds of the game.
Pennock felt that the Gills are creating enough chances to win games, but need to be more clinical in front of goal while he was also disappointed in the decisions that denied Wilkinson a penalty and then saw the striker dismissed.
“I’m disappointed to have lost, but we had enough chances to have won five or six games. We had a right old go and gave a really good account of ourselves.
“Even going down to ten men, we had two or three really good chances. We’ve got to go down fighting and that’s what we did.
“It was a poor goal to concede. You’ve got to stop the cross coming in, but we’ll work on that on Monday.”
Despite not opening their account for the season so far, Pennock is confident that it’s just a matter of time until the goals start to come.
“We just need a lucky one, off somebody’s backside and then the floodgates will open. [Lee] Martin’s delivery from set pieces is right on the button and long throws [from Mark Byrne and Connor Ogilvie] are a handful. We’ve got people that want to get their head on it this season.
“You’ve got to be clinical, but I think we’ve shown some very good signs.”
The Gills Head Coach was also left to rue key decisions going against him, with Conor Wilkinson denied a penalty minutes after the break before seeing red for a late tackle by the corner flag.
“We’ve got to appeal the red card, and I’m sure we’ll win it. I’ve just seen it on the DVD and there’s fresh air.
“I thought it was a good shout for the penalty. The lad came from behind him and dangled his foot – I was just waiting for the referee to point to the spot.
“Some big decisions didn’t go our way.”