Gillingham manager Gareth Ainsworth was once again left frustrated as he saw his side slip to their fifth defeat in a row at the weekend.

It looked like they were going to snap that losing streak at nil-nil in the 90th minute, but two late Crawley Town goals saw them take all three points.

Speaking after the match to the official site, he said: “We should walk away with a point. It was not a great game that had a lack of quality from both sides. Some of our set pieces and our crossing were way off. The final moments were way off. 

“There is no lack of preparation, and no physical reason that we should be giving away two goals in the 90th and 93rd minute. It is just a lack of quality defending. If we’re not going to win a game, then don’t lose the game. I am really disappointed with the goals. 

“I feel the fans’ frustrations, big time. I am frustrated, really frustrated. We tried something a little bit different this week in training, and I am not going to let it get me down, not a chance. I have been down this season already, and I have to say that I am getting used to this, and I don’t want to. I want to start winning, and it is not good. We need some characters in that dressing room, and we need some people to stand up and take ownership.

“At the moment, we have to pick some up [players], and I will do it. We have to make sure that we are competitive against Walsall and competitive against Accrington, then we go into the final weeks of the season.”

The Gills have a number of injury issues as well as they head into a busy Easter Period, something Ainsworth was mindful of.

He added: “We are lacking midfielders. (Robbie) McKenzie, (Ethan) Coleman, (Armani) Little and the two (Euan and Jonny) Williams out. We have got a lot of injuries in that midfield area, plus we lost Omar (Beckles), and Robbie McKenzie can play at the back. We have got some trouble at home there with injuries, but we can’t keep blaming that. We need to step up.”