Appleton slams Imps after Gills’ suckerpunch

MICHAEL Appleton said he couldn’t defend his players after watching Lincoln crash to defeat at home to relegation rivals Gillingham.

The Imps slipped to their third successive defeat after late goals from Vadaine Oliver and Ben Thompson.

It left Lincoln four points above the relegation zone, while Gillingham’s deserved triumph gave their own survival hopes a timely boost.

“Not good enough,” said Appleton after the game.

“I can’t defend the players today. It’s difficult to accept. In and out of possession, it wasn’t good enough.

“I can talk about times over the past six weeks where we’ve been good with the ball and played well in games and not got the reward.

“We weren’t that today. There was a nervousness to us. I don’t know if it’s the fact we are where we are in the table.

“There’s a pressure that goes with being in that position. We didn’t deal with it today. They dealt with it better.

“Very, very quickly, from a mindset point of view and a personality point of view, one or two need to rectify that.

“The opposition haven’t threatened much but they’ve come away with a 2-0 win. That’s clearly disappointing.”

The visitors made a bright start against a nervous looking Lincoln side, but there were limited chances throughout the opening period.

The Imps played with more urgency in the second half, bossing possession at times.

However, the Gills gained control late on and took the lead after 75 minutes when a cross from Jackson was nodded home by Oliver with Joshua Griffiths in no-man’s land.

There only looked to be one winner at that point and the Gills doubled their lead in the 90th minute when Thompson fired home from long-range.

Gills boss Neil Harris is inspiring a revival for the Priestfield club, who looked doomed to relegation prior to the sacking of Steve Evans last month.

“I’m ecstatic for the players, the football club and fans who travelled,” he said.

“A well-deserved win. Lincoln were good and the possession stats will be high for them.

“I picked a team and shape to dictate where we wanted the ball to go. I was delighted by it.”