Gillingham manager Gareth Ainsworth praised the outstanding efforts his side gave during their 1-0 victory against promotion-chasing AFC Wimbledon at the MEMS Priestfield Stadium on Easter Monday.
The Gills boss was proud to see that his players left everything on the pitch, with the defensive efforts throughout pleasing him.
Joe Gbode scored the winning goal in the 64th minute, and it came from the work that Ainsworth has been working on in training, with Bradley Dack setting up the goal.
Despite being in the early days of his reign, the 51-year-old can already see the work that is being put in pay off. However, he is aspiring to make Priestfield a fortress again and is hoping to lay the foundations to achieve that goal.
Discussing the game...
The players were absolutely outstanding for me. They emptied every bit of energy that they had out there. We were bringing players off who can't walk anymore. They have put that much into the game. We had a game plan, and once again, I had a 15-minute session to work on it with the players yesterday. On Easter Sunday, the boys came in and did it right. We had a 15-minute session to work on some shape, which I thought might cause AFC Wimbledon a problem.
They're very direct, very strong and big. The set plays are a threat. I said to the boys that if you match them physically, mentally and in the running stats, then we have a hell of a chance because they are good footballers. I thought that we played the majority of the good stuff today. I thought that we knocked the ball around well, and what a goal. What a phenomenal goal to win the game.
No matter what they chucked at us, we stood up and were resilient today.
I am really proud of what they have done. Glenn [Morris] being back was a big bonus. It was great for Taite [Holtam] to get the two games, but when he claimed that ball at the end there, the roars were heard. It was brilliant.
On the winning goal...
We have worked on the stuff that ended with the goal. Bradley Dack running into that zone. I asked for forward runners. I said that you all want to come to the ball and you all want to get the ball. You're great players, but sometimes we have got to penetrate. Brad penetrated at the right time and took a few defenders with him, which left Joe [Gbode] on the edge of the box, and he had to get that right. He absolutely smashed it past the goalkeeper, and it's a great finish.
Laying the foundations...
We are really trying. I will give everything for this club. As I did for any club, but I am here, and I will give everything for this place. We are trying to give ourselves an identity. Let's make this place so hard to come to because when I was a player, it was a hard place to come.
Those days seem to have just whittled away a bit, but we are going to get them back because if we perform like we did today, that is everybody. Not just the XI that played today but the whole squad, my staff and the fans. They were brilliant today.
Thank you very much.
