Evans: We’ll get rewards
Gillingham
Winning hasn’t been easy for the Gills so far this season but boss Steve Evans believes their fortunes will change. Performances have warranted more than the three victories to their name so far in League 1. On Tuesday, at Shrewsbury, they were unable to hang onto a one-goal lead and had to settle for a point.
Evans said: “Performances have been good in recent weeks, we just need to turn those into wins and cut out the individual errors, if we do that we will win a lot of games.
“I was disappointed on Tuesday and I said to the players, ‘we have to win that game’, those are points that never ever come back but there are plusses.
“Pep Guardiola (the Manchester City manager) says it better than everyone and Jurgen Klopp (the Liverpool boss) also said it, ‘if your performances are right then your results will follow.’ Our performances are right in long, long spells. We have to believe that results will follow.”
Gills performed well against Peterborough last week and lost, just like they did in the recent home game against Ipswich. Evans said: “Darren Ferguson (the Peterborough manager) walked into my office on Saturday apologising for nicking the points. I think Sam (Ricketts, the Shrewsbury boss) nicked one (on Tuesday). We are constantly seeing it but we will keep working with the boys and working hard.
“We are playing really well but people don’t want to keep hearing it. With the resources we are working with, we are getting a real shift from these boys, they are giving everything.”
The Gills travel to Accrington this Saturday, facing a team that stunned leaders Ipswich last weekend. They were due to play Peterborough last night (Wednesday)
Evans knows his defence will be tested once again.
He said: “I thought they were terrific from start to finish against Ipswich. The two wide players, Jordan Clark on the right and Sean McConville on the left, are the best in the league.
“They are good upfront and at the back with big Mark Hughsey, I know some of the lads well, it will be a tough test.” Gillingham have done more travelling than training this week, returning in the early hours of Wednesday after playing Shrewsbury. They will head north tomorrow (Friday) in preparation for Accrington the following day.
“I will have done more travelling this week than in my summer holidays,” joked Evans, who was in Accrington last week in person to watch the Ipswich match.
“We will train at a team up there in the Championship. We will use their facilities.
“We say thanks to the supporters for making a terribly long journey on Tuesday, the Football League are really kind to everyone aren’t they? Shrewsbury on a Tuesday and then Accrington on a Saturday.”