Yeovil Reaction

By Jack Nolan
December 9 2006

Gillingham boss Ronnie Jepson gives his views on the disapointing two goals to nil defeat from Yeovil at Huish Park. The Gillingham manager believes that debutant Dean Brill had a good debut and could do nothing about the two goals.

Following the defeat at Huish Park, the Gillingham manager said, "I was disappointed at the two goals again, one's just a clear header which has gone straight through, and we were napping. We let the lad go through, I don't know if he was offside but even if it was we weren't in a position to defend it.

"The second one, we've got five or six 6-footers, and it comes in from a corner and bounces, it's quite incredible really. If it was something tactical or if teams were beating us with something weird and wonderful, then I'd hold my hands up, but when you see mistakes like that it's hard.

"They've had a hard week I'll give them that, three games in just under a week so there might have been a bit of tiredness, but you can't switch off like that because you give yourself a mountain to climb, especially away from home," said the Gills boss speaking to BBC Radio Kent.

Jepson also believed that debutant Dean Brill had a good start to his Gills loan career which is initaily on a week by week basis, depending on when first choice goalkeeper Kelvin Jack returns from injury meaning that Dean Brill isn't required for an emergency loan deal. About Brill's performance the Gills boss said, "I thought he was smashing, I thought he swept up well for us, his kicking was good, he was a good presence, and positional wise no problem, I would have just liked to see a bit more in front of him to give him a bit more protection.

"In saying that in the second half we had one cleared off the line, a good save from Mulligan in the first half, and could have maybe got one or two in the second, one hit the post, but when you let in two goals like that, especially the corner that just bounced, at one-nil we were always in it, we had a steady base, but when the second one goes in we were chasing the game. It's been a tough week for everyone involved, so hopefully we can spend some time on the training ground, and put one or two things into perspective and get back at it again.

"Mullers is a great striker, in the first half he hit it low down and the 'keeper got down to it excellently to be fair, there was one cleared off the line, and Danny Spiller put one through as well which was close. There were one or two things, but as I said you can't concede goals like that," he said.

Following three straight defeats, all of them coming away from home, still being just four points off of the play offs the Gills will be looking for a victory to see them back in the hunt for a play off place. The game may also see a return for former Gill Steve Claridge who played two games for the Gills last season, but failed to score in games against AFC Bournemouth, who he plays for now, and Oxford UTD. Upon his last return to Priestfield, he scored the only goal in a one goal victory for Wallsall who were eventually relegated.