Gills manager Mark Bonner was pleased that his side found a way to get over the line in their 1-0 win against Morecambe at the Mazuma Stadium on Saturday.
George Lapslie came off the bench to score the winning goal in a game in which Bonner felt that his side rode their luck at times but looked more of a threat in the second half.
With no midweek game, Bonner is excited for a full week of work, allowing him and his staff to get plenty done on and off the training pitch ahead of next Saturday's game at Fleetwood Town.
There were 404 Gillingham supporters at the Mazuma Stadium for Saturday's fixture, and the 38-year-old was delighted with the support his side received.
Thoughts on the game...
We rode our luck in a few moments. We suffered a little bit at times in the game, but I think that in the main, we were fairly comfortable despite not being quality in lots of moments.
In the second half, I thought that we got better. We carried a bit more of a threat. The wind going in that direction meant whoever was going that way tended to dominate a bit more of the game. We were a bit too open for counter-attacks in the first half. More off our own play than theirs. They would spring, and they set them up really well.
There were some good chances. Once again, there was some brilliant impact from the boys that came off the bench. We had to change the dimensions of the game a little bit. It felt that we needed a bit more physicality and legs up the pitch.
Everyone has found a way to get a result. We don't want that to be the story of the season, but we will take it if it has to be. We have to find ways of winning. To start with two is good. To get a clean sheet away from home is encouraging.
The goal...
Hutts [Remeao Hutton] does brilliantly to keep it in play on the corner. Shad [Ogie] with an excellent bit of play in the box. Jayden Clarke, with his left foot, guides it back across the goal, and Lapo [George Lapslie] is in a brilliant position to sniff something out.
It's a brilliant goal, and then it's a nervy finish, as you'd expect.
The impact of George Lapslie and Oli Hawkins...
Fair play to Hawks and Lapo. A brilliant impact. They have not had an easy off season and a summer with a bit of uncertainty, which is the worst thing for players. Their attitude and work with us has been class. They're there and ready when we need them at either end of the pitch.
Hawks ends up going up front today, having played centre-half a lot, but he spends the last few minutes in the middle of our back five heading everything as well. He came really close when he crashed the crossbar with his header.
The week ahead...
The beauty is that we haven't got a game Tuesday. It turns to Monday's organisation, and we will watch the game back on the bus, but we haven't got that fast turnaround. We have got two blank weeks now, which will help us massively.
There will be a few more back into training next week, which will help us. It gives us a good chance to get some good work done and to be sensible with those that have done a lot this week. Hopefully, that serves us well going into Fleetwood next weekend.
On the support...
I’m so happy for the supporters that have travelled the distance they have. Some of them madly will have done both games this week.
It’s an unbelievable effort that… Some people told me before I came here that we get really well supported on the road.
We’re seeing that already, and we will see that again next weekend.
