“I’m fed up watching the same old crap!” Scathing words following Gillingham’s slip into the bottom two for the Football League following a 2-0 defeat at Newport County, but they didn’t come from one of the 371 travelling fans, they came from boss Neil Harris.
Talking to the BBC after the game, the Gills boss didn’t hold back his criticism of the side that slipped to 91st in the SKYBet League. “I’m fed up with it,” the manager said.
“We didn’t compete, and I’m fed up with standing on the touch line watching the side make the same mistakes.”
Asked about his own future and was he under pressure, Harris confessed, “I’m under my own pressure as my team aren’t winning matches. I can fix things and the transfer window will help but we’ve got to get their first!”
It was another difficult afternoon for the Gills as a goal in each half dropped them into the bottom two.
It was an even start as both sides went close – Omar Bogle’s deflected shot forced Jake Turner into a terrific low save whilst Will Wright brought the very best out of home keeper Joe Day with a dipping volley that was magnificently tipped over.
From the resulting corner, Gills luck in front of goal was summed up twice in seconds as Shaun Williams’ glancing header hit the post and following up Max Ehmer’s effort came back off the bar.
On the stroke of half time, Harris was left fuming as after stating in his midweek briefing with KSN that his players had to be switched on from restarts, Newport took the lead as Priestley Farquharson out jumped the Gills backline to head home a corner.
Ten minutes after the break Farquharson was credited with his second as the Gills again switched off from a restart – this time a throw in – and as the ball found its’ way into Turner’s box it bounced into the corner beyond the Gills custodian.
Stuart O’Keefe who was on as a half time substitute was denied by Day’s feet before Bogle should have put the game totally beyond the visitors with a quarter of an hour to go, but blazed wide – the damage though had long been done!
Harris now faces a monumental task to lift his side for another massive showdown on Tuesday at Crawley Town – another struggling side. When asked, about his side for the trip to Sussex, the manager’s response was horribly honest – and blunt “I’ve no idea what side we’ll put out on Tuesday night and that’s horrible for a manager! We keep having to change personnel as no-one deserves to play!”
NEWPORT COUNTY – Day, Norman (Dolan 71), Drysdale, Farquharson, Bogle (Collins 81), Waite, Lewis, Bennett, Moriah-Welsh, Demetriou, Evans.
Subs not used – Townsend, Willmott, Zimba, Nevers, Lewis.
Goals: Farquharson (43), (56).
Booked: Waite (72), Moriah-Welsh (95).
GILLINGHAM – Turner, Wright, Ehmer, Baggott, Alexander (O’Keefe H/T), Jefferies (MacDonald 59), Williams, McKenzie, Reeves (Kashket 59), Mandron, Walker (Green 69).
Subs not used – Holtam, Mnoga, Adelakun.
Booked: Mandron (15), Alexander (22), Walker (66).
REFEREE – Mr Ollie Yates
Attendance: 4,300 (371 Gills).