Gillingham urged not to ease off after moving six points clear of danger

Posted Saturday, April 20, 2019 by PA

Gillingham delivered a major boost to their survival hopes with a 3-1 win over Plymouth but first team coach Ian Cox insists they cannot take their foot off the pedal.

Second-half goals from Regan Charles-Cook, Mark Byrne and Brandon Hanlan helped the Gills to a win that was closer than the final scoreline suggested, leaving them six points clear of the drop with three games to go.

Victory at relegated Bradford would effectively secure safety, and Cox has urged his players to maintain the same intensity on Easter Monday.

He said: “We’re over the moon to get the result. It puts us in a more comfortable position to secure our League One safety.

“We’re almost there, but we still need to get over the line. Fair play to the boys for standing up to the test – they were under pressure after last week’s defeat but they showed their mental strength and character.

“The first half was cagey and I actually felt that the first goal would be pivotal. We looked shocked by their opener, but credit to the players for galvanising themselves and pulling something out of the bag.

“The celebrations when we scored the third were a mix of jubilation and a little bit of relief.

“But it’s still not done mathematically and we still have to be professional. The last thing we want is to take our foot off the gas and end up needing something from the last game. We can’t go to Bradford on Monday and rest on our laurels.”

By contrast, Argyle find themselves in the middle of a relegation battle, seeing another lead slip after Freddie Ladapo’s first-half opener.

That leaves Plymouth just two points clear of the drop, ahead of a home clash with promotion-chasing Barnsley, and manager Derek Adams insists the players have to take responsibility for their fate.

He said: “We didn’t look under any real pressure in the first half and there’s not much in the game in the second. We had opportunities to make it 2-0 and then 2-2 but we were unable to score in the 18-yard box.

“That’s been a problem for a number of weeks now, but we’ve also not been able to defend a cross and we didn’t defend a corner. The players have to take responsibility because they’re in a situation where they need to believe they can get clean sheets and score goals.

“We started the game very well. We were the better team in the first half and we got a good goal. There’s a good press in midfield and it ends with a clinical finish, which, to be fair to Freddie, is something he’s done throughout the season.

“They made a tactical change at half-time to take [Tom] Eaves off, who is one of the top goal-scorers in the league, and it ends up benefiting them.”