Gillingham manager Andy Hessenthaler felt his side had done enough to win at Bristol Rovers on Good Friday.

Dennis Oli’s 90th minute strike secured a vital point in the 2-2 draw that combined with other results sees The Gills go into Monday’s round of games just three points outside the play-off places.

Danny Kedwell missed a penalty in the first half with Chris Whelpdale giving The Gills the lead ten minutes into the second period.

Two goals from Bristol Rovers then followed and it seemed as though the Pirates had done enough to win the game before Oli’s late goal.

Despite missing out on the win they badly craved, Hessenthaler felt his side had done more than enough to win the game, but felt the pitch was responsible for Kedwell missing his penalty:

“We deserved to win the game; first half we were outstanding on the worst pitch I’ve ever seen at a league club.”

“It needs to be looked into because players are going to get serious injuries, players are falling down holes and it’s not right.

“That’s probably the best we’ve played on our travels for a long time. We missed a penalty and had other opportunities, so we’re disappointed but we were outstanding today.

“If we hadn’t got anything out of the game it would have been a travesty.” he said to BBC Radio Kent.

“I thought we deserved to win the game and in the first half we were outstanding, we took the pitch out of the equation with the way we passed the ball. It’s the best we’ve played on our travels for a long time and if it hadn’t been for the pitch we’d have been ahead at half-time.”

With Northampton Town winning 2-1 at home to Oxford United on Friday evening, The Gills will now go into Easter Monday’s game with Dagengham & Redbridge at Priestfield in the firm belief that they could finish the weekend back in the play-offs.

Other results would have to go their way, but football is a funny old thing somethimes.