Sam Gale was frustrated that Gillingham could not take all three points away from the game against Crewe Alexandra on Saturday, as they were held to a 0-0 draw at the MEMS Priestfield Stadium.
The young defender was proud of the team's effort in the game but was bewildered at how they were unable to break the deadlock, creating multiple opportunities in the second half, including a disallowed goal.
Gale, who was voted the sponsors' 'Man of the Match', is not afraid to be critical of his own performance, feeling he should have scored in the game. However, he praised the supporters for their backing, loving the roaring atmosphere the Priestfield crowd created.
The 20-year-old believes that the squad are getting back to the standards that are to be expected of them but knows that there is still plenty to work on while understanding that they need to carry their last two positive performances into Carlisle next Saturday.
Thoughts on the team's performance...
It's just one of those days, really. The performance, I thought, was exceptional. I thought that all of the boys gave everything. I thought that the crowd recognised that, and I don't know how we haven't scored. It's another good performance, and it's something to build on.
We've come off the pitch thinking, 'How have we not scored?'. It ricocheted around the post a couple of times, and I missed a massive chance that I know I have got to score, and there were penalty shouts and a disallowed goal. We've had it all. I think that the performance warranted it because I thought we were exceptional to a man. I really do.
Discussing his own performance...
I'll go home fuming. I don't care about how I've played. I've missed a chance, and I have to score. That's three points to be won there. There were other chances being missed, but I am quite harsh on myself. I have already watched it back about five times.
It doesn't feel as satisfying as it should be because the performance warranted a win, and we haven't done it. We have got to address that, and we will.
I think that I was in the thick of it in both boxes. I had a couple of chances and made a couple of good clearances. I really experienced Gillingham and Priestfield at its best, where the fans were with us.
Today, they were roaring us on the whole time. I came off the pitch, and obviously, I'm gutted with the result, but I was also like, 'Wow, I have just experienced Priestfield at its best', which was a cool experience.
On playing alongside Max Ehmer and learning from him...
Max isn't the type to shout and go, 'Move here, move there'. Honestly, just the little things and the little bits of advice. You don't play 400+ games for this Football Club without being a very good centre-half, and I think that people are quick to forget that. He has been amazing for me. Playing next to him, I don't think that anyone could have marshalled me better and helped me out over this run of games that I have started. Huge credit to him.
The standards and looking ahead...
After two really good performances against two really good teams, who are up there, I think that we are back to the kind of standards we expect of ourselves. I don't think that the quality is there yet, but the hard work and non-negotiables have been there. That's always a good start.
All we can do is dust ourselves down. We know that we have put in a good performance. We will take it into next Saturday, with another good week of training. A free week with no midweek game, and that will be really useful to us because being on the road a lot is not easy.
