Gillingham’s midweek hero Robbie McKenzie has been talking to KSN after netting a wonder strike that earned the Gills a point at leaders Walsall. 

“We came away from the game thinking we should have won,” McKenzie admitted.

“We had good chances in the game and know that we have to take that into Saturday. It was definitely one of our best performances of the season as it was a “full-eighteen” one where we all pulled together and it’s now the benchmark that we have to live up to for the rest of the season!” 

McKenzie who gloriously hammered home his fifth goal of the season to deservedly give the Gills a point at the League leaders was asked about his wonder strike and admitted that as he struck the ball, “I thought it had a great chance of go in!”

“Thought the keeper might get a touch on it; it was instinct really as I thought it was the right decision to just hit the ball! Think it was the right decision in the end!” McKenzie joked! 

“There was some disappointment at the final whistle that we hadn’t won – so different from the feelings on Saturday at Barrow!” 

“The way that we all celebrated the goal with the supporters was something really special! I think it was a bit of an outpouring of emotion as we do feel it the same way as the supporters.”

“It doesn’t help at times, but we must all pull together. Maybe sometimes lack of confidence can be confused with not caring, but it is different for us as I do understand where they might come from!” 

“There is a sense of disappointment that we haven’t been able to get that first win for the new manager as in some of the games that we have played, I have felt that we deserved more than we actually got – Tuesday night was a prime example as I really felt that we probably deserved more than we got.” 

“It’s been different since the Gaffer has come in as I think every manager has their own methods and ways and it does take some getting used to, but it is pretty simple really – train hard and play hard.”

“We heard the criticism last weekend and sometimes I think that that is how it has to be as people do sometimes need to hear what they don’t want to hear,” McKenzie thoughtfully told us, before reiterating.

“Tuesday has to be the bench mark for the rest of the season. Sixteen, seventeen games left so that has to be the baseline for every single game that we still have to play.” 

“I want to stay as consistent as I can for the rest of this season – I do have some personal goals that I still want to hit, but I won’t tell you about them now – I just want to be as consistent as I can for the rest of this season and nail down a position in the midfield until the end of the season.” 

Looking ahead to the side’s next game as they return to MEMS Priestfield, McKenzie told us “Crewe are always a tough side to beat. We know how they will play; they don’t make it easy for you at all so we know what we are going to expect.”