Gillingham manager Justin Edinburgh is looking at the bigger picture after his side lost 2-0 at Barnet on Saturday.

Going head to head against former boss Martin Allen at The Hive, The Gills were keen to get more valuable minutes on the pitch with the League One fixture away to Southend United just two weeks away.

It was the home side though that took the win in the scorching sunshine in North London, but Edinburgh wasn’t too fussed about the result:

“You have to put it in perspective. The result has to matter, because nobody likes losing, but in the grand scheme of things there are positives. For the first time this summer, a few of the players have completed 90 minutes without any injuries or side effects.”

“I feel in the first half, once it settled down, I thought we looked bright and inventive. I think the two goals highlighted some inexperience in the back line, so we know there are some things to work on as we shift through the gears to get ready for the Southend game on August 6.”

“Nobody wants to see us concede the goals we did, but there are reasons for that. I think when we have Deji [Oshilaja], Max [Ehmer], Ryan Jackson and Paul Konchesky playing at the back, and maybe a couple of more options, we’ll be solid and more reliable.”

“With those [players playing], you’d expect fewer opportunities like Barnet scored from today. Stuart [Nelson] hasn’t had to make a save, we looked comfortable.”

“You want perfection as soon as you can get it. There is a lot to be excited about and there are a lot of things that I’ve seen that I have liked.”

“We have to get the balance right. We have to be a bit more ruthless in that final third, we have to get the balance right, so that we are not too intricate and have too many passes with no end product.”

“But I think we are learning. There are new players in the group and we are getting to know each other.”

Edinburgh has been casting his eye over a number of trialists over the summer, but won’t be offering deals to any, but admits he is always looking to strengthen his squad:

“I always want to meet players, sit down and speak with them, and I’ve done that plenty of times this week. But I want to get the right player. We’re progressing and I feel we’ll have another body or two in the squad soon.”

“We’ve had a fair look at trialists, but we don’t feel at this time any will improve the squad. At this time, we want players to make the starting XI better, and not just make the squad better.”

 

Barnet line up: McKenzie-Lyle, Johnson, Dembele, Nelson, Watson (Gash 55), Weston, (Sesay 89) Akinde (Muggleton 17), Nicholls (N’Gala 82), Gambin (Akpa Akpro 70), Togwell, Taylor.

Subs not used: Joseph, Mason-Clark, Day.

Gillingham line up: Nelson, Jackson, Osadebe, Ehmer, Konchesky (Trialist 60), Byrne, Wright (Oldaker 76), Dack, Knott (Martin 80) McDonald (Quigley 76), Donnelly (Norris 76).

Subs not used: Hadler, Hessenthaler, List, Cundle, Arnold.

Referee: Dean Whitestone