Mark Bonner was pleased to come away from Fleetwood with a point following a hard fought display at Highbury.
Fleetwood made life tough for Gills, keeping possession well while not allowing their visitors to get into a rhythm when on the ball. The manager realised that his side was forced to play on the counter for large parts of the game but was happy with how Gills ended the fixture, as they went in search of a late winner.
Saturday's result meant back-to-back clean sheets away from home for Bonner's side. Jake Turner played an important role in ensuring Gillingham left Highbury Stadium unscathed.
Despite remaining unbeaten over their opening three league games, the 38-year-old expects to see his squad hit another level, especially with more players expected to return in the coming weeks.
Bonner also provided a transfer update with deadline day on Friday.
Thoughts on the game...
It's a really good point. It's one that we are definitely going to respect because it was as tough of a game as we thought it would be. It was really hard for us. In the first half we couldn't get out, and we didn't get enough pressure high up the pitch. I think the biggest problem today was that we turned the ball over so quickly. We were, therefore, relying on singular moments on the counter-attack rather than enough periods of control.
I felt that we finished the strongest and looked the more likely to get something in the last ten minutes. They probably went a bit more protective in the way that they changed their team, and I thought we chased the game really well in the end. I love that mentality to try and win.
To come away again and keep a clean sheet and defend the box as well as we did at times. We might have got a bit fortunate on a couple, but I think that they did too. We had a couple of really good moments that we might have taken and been a bit more clinical on. We are certainly happy to take something away off the back of last week as well.
On Jake Turner...
I think Jake has started the season brilliantly. Really, really well. He's getting more confident to come and take things among bodies and to punch amongst bodies, which relieves huge pressure off your back four. I am really happy with how he is doing.
Looking to improve..
We know that we are a little bit light with players at the moment. That is because we are waiting for a few to get back, but we will get better, which we need to. The level of the top teams is high, and we might be sitting at the top of the league at the moment, and we might be fancied by lots, but I think there is a long way for us to go to be a match for those top ones.
Some of the players have got to raise their level quickly because we have got to be a better team with the ball and not be so reliant on counter-attacks.
I am also caveating that with the difficulty of the last couple of weeks and the physical toll it has taken. We have played two teams that were in League One last year in our opening three games.
The travelling support...
Another really good following. They really got behind us in the second half when we felt like we might be able to maybe nick one. It was really good support and I think that we're building that nicely, which is good.
We have got a lovely home game to look forward to next week, which we are really happy with.
The last week of the transfer window...
I don't know if we're done, but I don't expect much to happen. You can never say never, can you? I don't know what will happen, but it's not going to be a busy week, I don't think. I don't think that I will be eating pizza at 10 o'clock on Friday night at the ground. We will pretty much be done.
