Gillingham manager Gareth Ainsworth was less than impressed with his side’s performance in last night’s home defeat against MK Dons.

Following the 5-1 defeat Ainsworth revealed that he has quite the injury list at the MEMS Priestfield but that those that did play didn’t perform to the required levels.

Speaking after the match to the Gills Official site, Ainsworth said: “It is not good enough, again. Obviously, we have been beaten 5-1, but it is just moments of bad defending, bad decisions and naivety. There was the ball going under people’s feet and losing control of the ball. These are fundamentals as a professional footballer that you have to be able to do. They do them when there is no pressure, but a bit of pressure and some of the boys didn’t handle it well tonight.

“I have an extremely big injury list at the moment. You look through it, and the names that are in that treatment room, they start for me.

“It is crazy how we are losing players at the moment. I am hopeful that Ethan Coleman’s isn’t too bad tonight because I can’t do with anymore injuries. The ones who come in have to step up. They have to stand up for themselves and be good enough.

“I know what I have to do here. I know what I have to do, and it will be done. We have got to get through to the end of the season.”

There were boos at half time and full time, and Ainsworth was sympathetic to the fans and what they had just witnessed.

He added: “I understand the fans tonight, of course. It’s frustrating. It’s their team, and we have just been beaten 5-1 at home. It’s not acceptable. There are reasons and things that we are going to work on, but still, it’s a 5-1 defeat at home. It’s not acceptable, and I take as much accountability as the players.”

The Gills are back in action on Saturday against another promotion chasing team in Cambridge United, managed by former Gills boss Neil Harris, and Ainsworth knows it will be another tough tie.

“We are going through things as a staff tomorrow [Wednesday], then on Thursday and Friday, it is hard because it’s a quick turnaround. Do we focus on this defeat, and putting everything right? Or do we go, right, this is Cambridge, and this is what’s coming?

“You have to do the balance, of course, we need to put some mistakes right, but we also need to tell them, ‘this is what Cambridge are, and this is how you beat Cambridge.”