Gillingham 0 Mansfield Town 2: Reaction from Gills boss Neil Harris after defeat at Priestfield

Manager Neil Harris admitted his Gillingham team were second best in every department during a first half where Mansfield all-but wrapped the game up.

The Stags led 2-0 at the break, and it could have been more, before they then eased their way to the full-time whistle which was greeted by boos from Gillingham's fans.

Harris, who took stick himself at the full-time whistle from some frustrated supporters, said: “Mansfield deserved to win the game for sure, they were better than us in the first half, in all aspects of the football match.

“Our use of the ball and our delivery from set-plays was really poor, then ultimately we didn’t defend our box and in the first half against a big physical team, they out-run and out-fought us, obviously it pains me to say it but everyone who was there could see it, in the first half. It was not a lack of trying from the lads, never that, it (was) just that we couldn’t stand up to it.

“I was angry at half-time with the way we performed in the first half but watching the goals and watching some clips back, they (Mansfield) are just very good at what they do, they play forward and they run forward and they run over the top of you, as much as it hurts to say it, they ran over the top of us. I can’t accept it but the group has to try and be better than that, it happened at Tranmere and it happened here, against two big physical teams.

"Disappointed, frustrated, all of the above, ultimately in the first half, we fell short.

“It wasn’t about shape, it was about being out-fought. A better League 2 team beat us.”

The match followed a minute's silence to mark the passing of the Queen and was followed by a rousing rendition of 'God Save The King' but Gillingham fell flat when the game kicked off.

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