Gills get out of jail but Ady still fumes

GILLINGHAM escaped with an injury-time equaliser but boss Ady Pennock admits their first-half display was worthy of boos.

Deep into time added on, Gills debutant Josh Parker headed home unmarked from a corner after Remie Streete had given Port Vale the lead.

And despite the draw, Pennock wasn’t pulling any punches

“I put my hands up, we were poor in the first half,” he said.

“I was booing myself at half-time, it just wasn’t good enough.

“I don’t know why we were so flat. It’s frustrating after our recent performances away from home.”

The game only got started in the second half, and Port Vale were the only team in it.

They capitalised early through Streete as he produced a header at the back post from a corner.

And boss Michael Brown saluted his defender: “Remie has done okay in the early part of the season, but he was great after struggling in the week with injury.

“I thought he set the tone with some great headers.”

But, despite a more rigid shape, Vale lost track of who they were marking as the Gills poured players forward.

“Players have to take responsibility,” said Brown. “They have certain marking assignments and late on in games, everyone goes up and we were punished for not taking responsibility and picking up the spare man.”

The spare man was Parker, whose bullet header secured a draw, but extended the team’s run of games without a league win to eight, although Pennock looked at it another way.

“You could say it’s four games unbeaten, and now it’s a massive game on Tuesday night,” he added.

“We have to turn up and get the three points against Chesterfield. We’re fighting for our lives.

“There’s a lot of points to be played for. We’re not silly, if you don’t keep clean sheets, you have to score two goals to win the game. I don’t think we’ve had a clean sheet since 1943.”

Brown praised his side before the goal: “I thought it was a perfect away performance.

“We were gritty and well-organised, limiting them on what wouldn’t be the greatest of games.

“We defended well after our goal and we were 15 seconds away. I would have been on the train home, delighted.”

And Pennock looked ahead, warning his players: “You have to die for the cause. You might have to lose your teeth or get your head cut, but you have to do it every week.”