Frustration was the main theme for Gillingham boss Mark Bonner after their 1-0 defeat to Grimsby Town on Tuesday night at the MEMS Priestfield Stadium.
Kieran Green scored the only goal of the game, in which the Gills manager praised Grimsby for their perfect away performance, restricting Gillingham to mainly half-chances.
Bonner was impressed with some of his side's play during the second half of the game but felt they lacked the quality and threat to truly hurt their opponents.
Remeao Hutton missed the fixture, and Bonner provided an update on the right-back's whereabouts.
Gills are back in action at the weekend, travelling to Crewe Alexandra. The 38-year-old is keen to rectify what went wrong on Tuesday night.
Assessment of the game...
I thought we were fairly dominant, but you could argue, and we have done this to other teams- it was a perfect away performance. I think that we have given them a goal that is absolutely preventable in two or three moments for us. I just said to the lads that our defensive record has been amazing, so you cannot hammer them for that, but the goal itself, where we get dodged twice too easily, they run the middle of the pitch way too easily, we were way too narrow as a back four, and we don't deal with the moment that they scored.
[Kieran] Green caused us a lot problems in the first half, so we were frustrated that we were behind. I thought that we started quite well during the first seven or eight minutes, and then I thought that 20 minutes before half-time, we were playing well. We got the ball, and we know that it's going to be a bit tight now. They have got the goal, so how do we get the balance right between being patient and penetrating and trying to create chances and pressure on their goal.
There were loads of set plays, lots of pressure, lots of moments where we have got good momentum in the game. There was not enough of a final threat on the goal, but there were still some really good moments. We had an excellent chance From Jayden's [Clarke] cross to Nev [Elliott Nevitt], which is a brilliant moment for us. Across the balance of the half, especially towards the end, we're chasing the game. It's a different way of doing it, which we are chasing with a different shape to what we have played.
Our effort to chase was outstanding, but at times, our quality and decision-making wasn't good enough. Therefore, we did not have enough of a threat. They defend their box well, they throw their body in the way of loads of things, and they will be delighted with that.
Remeao Hutton and fitness update...
[On Remeao Hutton]- A bit of a tight hamstring after Saturday. To be fair, he was a bit touch and go. If it was the playoff final tonight, we would have played him- definitely. We absolutely, on Game Nine of the season, do not need to put him at risk and miss him from six to eight weeks, so that's why we have got a squad.
Hopefully, we will see him later in the week and get him out there Saturday. We are hopeful of that, but we will just see as the week goes on.
[On Bradley Dack] - Dacky, as I said on Saturday, he's having a full training week, so we will see him being involved at the weekend.
Looking ahead...
Our record is very good, and we have got no divine right to win any game. We know that it is going to be hard for us when we play here because teams are going to make it difficult. We are frustrated because we wanted to backup Saturday, but it's Game Nine, and we have to try to go get ourselves ready for Game Ten and be as good as we can at Crewe at the weekend.
