“It’s a worse result than Tuesday… we didn’t score; we didn’t hit the target – it’s a terrible result! We go one-nil down in the first minute – it’s just not good enough and I have to put it right!” Gareth Ainsworth’s words as Gillingham lost yet again.
Damning words from Ainsworth after watching his side’s dreadful week with another five-goal drubbing – this time at the hands of Cambridge United – and they were just the start of the boss’s anger.
Despite Tuesday night’s mauling at the hands of MK Dons at MEMS Priestfield, 1,034 Gills fans made the trip to Cambridge for the 3:00pm kick off and yet by 3:02pm many would have feared what was to be a long uncomfortable afternoon as a second minute goal from Dominic Ball gave the promotion chasing home side the ideal start – a start that was helped by Louis Appere’s second ten minutes from the break.
Two goals in the opening ten minutes of the second period from Sully Kaikai (the first in off the unlucky Lennie Cirino) ended the game as any meaningful contest and the icing was put on the home cake in stoppage time by sub-Shane Lavery to condemn Gillingham to successive five goal league defeats for the first time in longer than probably all who have suffered these latest disappointing defeat in what is becoming a most disappointing seasons will want to even consider.
“Some real thinking for the boys… and me!” The Gills boss continued in his damning assessment of the carnage he had witnessed.
“The injuries are one thing, but you have to stand up to set pieces; you have to fight, you have to scrap… I feel responsible as a couple of the players came in after me.”
The one bright spark for the Gills day was the League debut of Harry Waldock, and Ainsworth said, “On the back, he certainly didn’t deserve to be part of a five-nil defeat and on the back of that I’m sure he’ll have a career, but on today’s performance not everyone will!”
“We have to defend better, we have to be stronger, we have to be more robust… the clarity is that we have players coming back and I know exactly what I want to do – I just don’t think some (of the) players are good enough and I have to make changes there.”
“I’m never embarrassed as I always do my best – you will have to ask some of the boys whether they are happy with their performance… there were some poor performances out there today and I have to put that right!”
When quizzed that the performance wasn’t from a Gareth Ainsworth team, the Gills boss, perhaps tellingly replied, “No, but then every player in this squad is not a Gareth Ainsworth player!”
“I will make sure that they are next season – I will put my name to everything, but I know that for the last few years this Club has done this consistently. I know that there are reasons for it – we are addressing them, but we need to get to the summer to make sure that we get everything right.”
Things don’t get any easier for the beleaguered Gills and Ainsworth as next up on Tuesday at MEMS Priestfield is the small matter of the visit by arch rivals Swindon Town!!
“We are at rock bottom and there’s no bones about it. Tuesday is a big game at home for us now and I want to win that game as I know just how much it means for the fans, and I know just how frustrated they are at the moment!” Ainsworth concluded.
CAMBRIDGE UNITED – Eastwood, Bennett, Ball (Kouassi 80), Watts, Brophy (Purrington 66), Appere (Lavery 66), Kaikai (K. Smith 66), Knight, Mpanzu, Jobe, Gibbons (Raggett 73).
Subs not used – Hughes, McConnell.
Goals: Ball (2), Appere (36), Cirino (og 50), Kaikai (54), Lavery (91).
GILLINGHAM – Morris, Rowe (McCleary 76), Andy Smith, Akomeah, Clark, Cirino (Beckles 61), Waldock, Khumbeni (Vokes H/T), Jonny Williams (Little 61), Palmer-Houlden (Dack 61), Hale.
Subs not used – Turner, Hutton.
Booked: Cirino (28), Smith (42), Dack (84).
REFEREE – Mr. Michael Barlow
Attendance: 7490.