Interim boss Keith Millen is preparing for what could be his final match in charge at Priestfield this weekend as Newport County come to Kent with Gillingham looking for back-to-back League wins after Tuesday’s triumph at Swindon Town. 

“You could tell by the atmosphere that there was something on Tuesday for the supporters,” the interim boss told KSN this week.

“Originally, I did not know about the rivalry, but when I was told I looked into it. So, the fact that we had really good numbers there, the fact that you could hear the singing between the fans with the rivalry and what was being said to each other, you could hear that!” 

“I did mention it to the players,” Millen went on, “I did not give any inspirational speech about it, but I did tell them that the following would be there for them so give them something to cheer. Our fans did not stop singing all game, obviously scoring twenty minutes in the game helps, and they played their part the whole game!” 

Reflecting on last weekend’s narrow loss to Notts County, Millen admitted, “There were some tired legs in the dressing room after the game as they had worked so hard. I think they felt that it was a little bit unjust as we felt that we deserved a draw out of the game with the chances we had for all their good play.

“They did have some good play which we found difficult at times to stop! The boys worked so hard to have got the equaliser and that was frustrating.” 

“That’s why Tuesday was so important as on Monday, I sensed that the boys were a bit flat, and you could see that they were a little bit tired and possibly feeling a little bit sorry for ourselves; we have not got a manager yet and have just worked really hard and have ended up losing the game!

“It is easy to feel down on yourself, so Tuesday I was very conscious of trying to change the mindset to roll the sleeves up and get the better of the opposition!” 

Millen then spoke of his disappointment about the incident in the Notts County game that saw the visiting keeper struck by an object thrown from the Rainham End; the coach said, “That was really disappointing! Unfortunately, it is one individual, I know the Club are trying to find out who that person was, but you do not want one person or one incident to effect what people think of the Club or the supporters, it just cannot happen!” 

“It is so wrong to be able to do that, hopefully, the cameras will be able to pick up whose done it and they will not be allowed into Football Clubs. It killed our momentum because at the time we were really on the front foot trying to score and then all of a sudden it happened.

“It took the referee a long time to get to the Stewards and report what happened, there is a process that he has to go through, but it killed the game, I felt! It was an unsavory incident that you do not want to see at Football Clubs.” 

Millen then gave his squad update for the weekend, Robbie McKenzie is recovering from a stomach muscle operation but there is better news of Oli Hawkins and Ashley Nadesan as both have started grass training this week. Millen also told us that Tim Dieng is back to full training after his knee injury but needs match minutes. There were no reported new knocks from the trip to Wiltshire on Tuesday.