LJ pleased by Latics graft

Stoke loanee George Waring tapped home from close range shortly after half-time to seal the Tykes' third successive league win in Johnson's first game in charge.

It moves the Oakwell outfit up to 12th in the table and also inflicted a first defeat on Justin Edinburgh in his fourth game since leaving Newport to take over at the Priestfield Stadium.

Johnson was left toasting a job well done, saying: "I'm delighted. It's a victory, a 1-0 win away from home and a cleansheet. It's the perfect result.

"I thought the boys were fantastic, spirited, and of course it was difficult because it was blowing a gale and we were against a side that were really in form and we had to come here and do a job.

"I thought the midfield five worked their socks off, and I thought big George up top worked very hard and got his reward with the goal

"We needed to play like that. It was important because they do have a lot of talented players who like to have an easy game, a good comfortable game.

"So we had a lot of rats in there stealing the ball and breaking it up. And we had three or four really good opportunities on the break and we should have capitalised on them a bit better.

"It was a real spirited performance from the boys, and the last couple of games they've shown that and they did so again."

Gavin Hoyte had the best chance for Gillingham, but his right-foot shot was brilliantly palmed away by Adam Davies as the hosts went in search of an equaliser.

However, Edinburgh admitted his troops did not do enough for the win.

"There's nothing good about losing and it's hard to take because I couldn't see us losing this game," he said. "If we would have come off 0-0 that probably would have been a fair result.

"We had too many players that haven't performed at the level they have in the time that I've been here.

"I didn't feel either team was going to win it, the conditions were difficult but we're disappointed with the goal we've conceded.

"We didn't' want to lose it through a mistake or lack of concentration, but ultimately that's what cost us the game. There's no excuses and as a group we're disappointed.

"We probably had the better chances to get back into the game or go on and win it.

"We said at half-time, it's not going to be pretty, Barnsley came here with five men in midfield and made it difficult for us to get any momentum."