Gills head coach Ady Pennock speaks to the press following the Gills' defeat to Peterborough
Gillingham Head Coach Ady Pennock was disappointed to see Gillingham fall to a third successive defeat as Peterborough United grabbed a late winner at the MEMS Priestfield Stadium on Saturday.
Junior Morias’ brilliant strike in the 90th minute was the difference in a tight, gritty and often poor-quality game of football. Harry Cornick, making his Gills debut, and Josh Wright both had chances in the second half but failed to beat McGee, while Tomas Holy starred in goal on his first appearance for the club but was powerless to prevent Posh taking all three points.
Pennock was disappointed that the Gills failed to get at least a point following a ‘poor’ performance on a pitch which made passing tricky for both sides, but was impressed by the performance of debutants Cornick and Holy.
Pennock on…the quality of the game: “I thought that on the ball we were very poor and our ball retention wasn’t good at all. I don’t think we could get two or three passes together for ninety minutes and nor could they. It was a poor game, and when you play those games, you must get something out of it and we haven’t.
“It’s a bit of quality at the end and they’ve scored, but he has the freedom of the park and that’s what I’m worried about.
“It was a stop-start, stop-start game as we came out late for the second half. It didn’t flow as we wanted to; the pitch was lively and a bit bumpy but it was the same for both sides.”
Pennock on…Gillingham’s relegation battle: “We’ve got to embrace it [the relegation battle] and we know it’s going to be tough. We’ve got to stay up. The players know what the situation is – they know what they’ve got to do, and we’ll have a right old go.
“I’m very determined. Of course, it is my job and everyone’s job to stick together and go from there. We’re not throwing in the towel, and the players won’t throw in the towel that’s for sure.”
Pennock on…debutants Tomas Holy and Harry Cornick: “It was the time to bring in [Czech goalkeeper Tomas Holy] as he’s a bit of a presence, obviously. He was confident and his kicking was good.
“I think he was a bit nervous the first five or ten minutes but he grew into the game and he was beaten by a very good goal but, other than that, he did okay.
“[Harry Cornick] was bright; he was taking people on and winning corners. I feel sorry for the centre-forwards today, as they got nothing. They worked their socks off and that was disappointing.”
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Gillingham 0-1 Peterborough: Match report