David Tutonda says the backing of the supporters could be critical as Gills head into the final seven games of the League 1 campaign.
Tutonda and his teammates battled heroically against powerhouse Sky Bet League One outfit Sheffield Wednesday last weekend and were unlucky not to bag all three points. The work rate and desire, however, did not go unnoticed by the Priestfield faithful who roared off the players in approval at the end of the game.
The valuable point means the Gills, who spent months plunged deep in the dangerous seas of the relegation zone, finally have their heads above water. With a mere seven games to go until the end of the season, Tutonda is determined to fight against sinking back down there.
The Zaire born defender, speaking ahead of this weekend’s trip to Accrington, said: “We were 10 points adrift when the manager came in, you can see the impact that the Gaffer has had. We have worked hard and taken instructions on board. We have a clean-sheet mentality, even in training. The training every day is so detailed. Neil demands so much of you, day in, day out. We have to praise ourselves but at the same time the job is far from done.
“Whether we are home or away, the fans have been huge. They have been massive. When you are in this position, it’s easy for the fans to be frustrated. When you hear them roaring you on it really gives you that push.
“We deserved a lot more from the game against Sheffield Wednesday. It was our best performance of the season. To a man, we were unbelievable. We knew it would be a tough game but we stuck to our game plan. Our fans were unbelievable and got behind us from the first minute to the 95th. We had everything but the goal.
“We deserved three but we will take one and use it as a boost going into the next game. We will take all these positives into the Accrington match. We had chances to score against Sheffield Wednesday; hopefully we can put our chances away against Accrington.
“Accrington is a massive game for us. They are a good side. We have to go up there and get the job done… it’s as simple as that.”