Gillingham boss Neil Harris ‘disappointed no
Posted Sunday, November 06, 2022 by PA
Gillingham boss Neil Harris was left disappointed after a late AFC Fylde equaliser meant his side will need a replay to reach the second round of the FA Cup.
Mikael Mandron opened the scoring for the visitors on the stroke of half-time, but Tom Walker struck with seven minutes to go for the non-league outfit to force a repeat at Priestfield.
Harris said: “We got the mentality right, that’s for sure. These games are all about mental strength and preparing the boys extremely well. The lads competed and had a go, no slacking off, we were at it.
“Did I get the level of performance in spells? I did. But if you’re going to keep turning the ball over like we do then we’re going to have to defend for large parts of games.
“Ultimately we just didn’t take care of the ball well enough in the second half.
“To get in front, away from home in the cup, we’re disappointed not to get through but it’s about winning games of football.
“At around the 65-minute mark, I didn’t feel in any massive danger. We played a couple of set-plays and it’s unlike us to concede those chances.
“I just thought the more substitutions I made, the worse it got to be honest. I need to make sure that the substitutions that I make have an impact when they come on the pitch.
“We turned the ball over cheaply in the second half which meant you have to run more and it just builds momentum for our opponent. We need to be better with a football.
“Our problems have not been any different. Today hasn’t been any different: we don’t use the ball enough and we don’t create enough.
“But we were ahead today 1-0 and when I went to our back five to combat their shape, we shouldn’t have been conceding. We should have been dealing with crosses better than we did.”
Fylde boss Andy Taylor was proud as punch of his battling side.
He said: “I’m really, really proud of that performance – and the players should be too.
“I thought a draw was the least we deserved looking at the overall.
“I think in the first half we were solid enough in our shape and quite dangerous on the counter-attack.
“We didn’t quite get our press right but, in the second half, we addressed that and added a bit more belief in possession.
“We played some really good football in the second half and got the goal back.
“And after we got the goal back you’re thinking ‘go on, can we go on and knick it?’
“But it wasn’t to be, although we’ve got another replay and a nice trip down to Kent.
“I’m really pleased with that performance, but it was really disappointing to concede with the last kick of the first half and in that manner.
“But it didn’t really change anything because I thought we were still in the game.
“The message before the game was belief – and that was the message at half-time.
“We played with so much more belief and intensity in the second half. We were really positive in everything we did.
“We were much the better team in the second half and should of – even maybe could of – gone on to win it.”
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