Accrington 1 Gillingham 1: Reaction from Gillingham manager Gareth Ainsworth after League 2 match at the Wham Stadium

Gillingham manager Gareth Ainsworth was satisfied with a point on the opening day at Accrington Stanley – but admitted it wasn’t a classic.

The Gills had to come from behind in Lancashire to draw 1-1 against a side that are backed to struggle this season.

Report: Accrington 1 Gillingham 1

It was a game where the Gills didn’t manage a shot on target, equalising when Armani Little’s corner went in off a defender to cancel out Tyler Walton’s opener.

“It was as billed,” said Ainsworth, who had been expecting a tough and physical encounter.

“We had a start we wanted to employ. We tried to get down the sides of them. I thought we did it well in the first half, deep midfield runs, which was really good. Some great play in the first half.

“Second half, I thought we were a little bit more messy, a little bit more direct and to be fair, a lot landed on (Accrington) central defender Rawson and we kept doing it.

“I had to change it. They went 1-0 up. We didn't lock out the defence very well. He's got in and scored. We've got to make sure that we're better at that. That's learning for me. That's great for me.

“Second half, (we were) getting a bit tired, maybe switch off. We've got to work on that but the way the boys fought to get back into the game, they really deserved it.

“It wasn't a game of great quality. I understand that. Fans will be going, ‘We've got to play more. ’ I know that and we will but when you come to Accrington Stanley, they are one of the lower budgets in the league. They'll scrap. They'll fight. They'll do anything they can. That is a massive credit to them. That really is.

“They've got some good players, but you have to match the fight. I'm proud to say we're taking a point away.

“Many teams will (go there)