Gareth Ainsworth’s reaction after Gillingham’s 4-2 penalty shootout defeat to AFC Wimbledon after the Carabao Cup first-round match at Priestfield finishes 1-1

Manager Gareth Ainsworth said he felt like a winner even though his Gillingham team were knocked out of the Carabao Cup by AFC Wimbledon.

The Gills fought back from a goal down thanks to a strong finish, equalising through Ethan Coleman and going close to a winner when Robbie McKenzie’s header hit the crossbar.

Report: Gillingham 1 Wimbledon 1 (2-4 pens)

Wimbledon won the penalty shootout 4-2 - converting all four of their penalties after the Gills had two efforts saved - but there was no sign of disappointment from the manager.

“I feel like we've won, I really do,” Ainsworth said.

“I feel like I'm a winner because of what I've seen on the pitch.

“You've got to sometimes brush the results aside and go performance-based, and that performance will be good enough. If we play like that in League 2, we will win games. We'll put it on teams.

“Teams won't be able to handle us and that's really good to see.

“I thank the boys. They gave their all, they emptied the tank for the fans.”

The Gills were trailing to Antwoine Hackford’s 32nd minute breakaway goal, and missed opportunities meant Ainsworth’s side were heading for defeat over 90 minutes, before Coleman headed in Max Clark’s corner.

“The second half was incredible,” said the Gills boss.

“First-half we created some good stuff. We had chances. We had a one-on-one. We had some set-pieces that we should have been better at.

“We let ourselves down a little bit with a mistake (for the goal), and that's cost us, and that's really good because I can work on that.

“No team is carving us apart. No team's playing around us and carving us to bits. We are solid. It's our own little mistakes that have cost that goal in the first half.

“Apart from that, I'm being very picky in the