Gillingham boss Justin Edinburgh urges players to seize chance of promotion
ByPA Sport
Published 13/02/2016 at 20:17 GMT
Justin Edinburgh has ordered his Gillingham players not to throw away their opportunity of promotion after climbing to second place in the Sky Bet League One table with a 2-1 win over Barnsley.
Gillingham manager Justin Edinburgh has urged his players to go on and clinch promotion.
Image credit: PA Sport
Goals from Dominic Samuel and Bradley Dack either side of Conor Hourihane's equaliser secured the Gills a first win in three games.
With Walsall dropping points at Crewe, Edinburgh's men moved into the automatic promotion places and the former Tottenham defender is keen to take full advantage.
He said: "It is a very big three points up against the form team in the country and we had to battle hard, but in the final third we had the cutting edge.
"It was a simple goal that we conceded and we were disappointed by it, but it was a good response and that's what great teams are made of.
"There are 15 games left that only we can affect and we have to look after ourselves. If we take our eye off it then we will be regretting it come the end of the season.
"We can't make a tackle or a save in anyone else's game. We have to live, die and breathe football in all of us at this club and make sure we don't let this opportunity pass us by.
"Home form has been key, it's the best in the country and we have to continue that. We have made this place a fortress and it comes down to everyone including the players, the staff and importantly the crowd who have made an impact in every game this season."
The result brought to an end Barsnley's seven-match unbeaten run in the league and caretaker boss Paul Heckingbottom lamented his team's defending.
He said: "I'm disappointed that the run has come to an end and more so with the manner in which it has. We are really disappointed with the two goals that we have conceded.
"They had two attempts on target and they scored two goals, so you can imagine the frustration we have in that dressing room.
"We competed and nullified their threats but we didn't impose ourselves on the game. We asked for a lot more in the second half and I think we had a lot more positive play but we lacked that bit of quality in the final third to take those opportunities we had.
"I'm not going to point the finger but it's disappointing because that's what you get beaten by and it was just two individual errors.
"It's a disappointed dressing room because we haven't been used to this feeling for a while.
"It's a bit flat but we've got a game next week, so we jump back on the wagon and then go on another run."
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