Seasiders romp has Lovell so disgusted
GILLINGHAM boss Steve Lovell was ‘disgusted’ by his players’ lack of desire and courage after his side fell to their fifth defeat in eight games against in-form Blackpool.
Kyle Vassell, Nathan Delfouneso and Kelvin Mellor earned the Seasiders their fourth win in as many league games, while the Gills have now gone eight matches without claiming maximum points.
Lovell, whose side are not yet safe from relegation, said: “If I was standing there watching that I’d be disgusted. The supporters are quite right in their comments because I’m with them. It wasn’t very nice to watch.
“I felt on Tuesday night [against Rotherham] that the players gave everything – today the majority of them didn’t. I think they came off the pitch thinking they could have done more.
“Hopefully they’ll put right what they didn’t do today next weekend at Bristol Rovers as I feel let down. They owe the club and fans a performance.”
Having hit the bar with a powerful header after just three minutes, Vassell fired home the opener after debutant goalkeeper Tom Hadler spilled Jimmy Ryan’s 25-yard shot.
“It was fantastic from Jimmy to test the young goalkeeper like that,” said Blackpool boss Gary Bowyer.
Scorer turned provider for the visitors on 33 minutes, as Vassell’s drilled cross was met by the onrushing Delfouneso, who guided the ball past the luckless Hadler.
Midfielder Jay Spearing missed the chance to add to the Seasiders’ lead three minutes after the break, as he hit the post from the penalty spot after Tom Eaves had needlessly fouled Curtis Tilt.
But substitute Kelvin Mellor tapped in Armand Gnanduillet’s cross to seal their win seven minutes from time.
Gills striker Eaves had the out-of-form hosts’ best chance of the opening half with a header from 12 yards in stoppage time.
Josh Parker fired over the bar from 25 yards shortly after the break for Lovell’s side, who have now gone over six-and-a-half hours without scoring at home.
“We scored three goals away from home and we’ve kept a clean sheet so I’m delighted,” added Bowyer. “But I thought we made the game so hard for ourselves – it shouldn’t have been as hard.
“I enjoyed watching us in the first half but second half it was painful. We spoke at half-time about keeping the game simple and doing the basics right – we went and did the total opposite.”