Gillingham manager Gareth Ainsworth looks ahead to the weekend league game at Colchester United as they look to put FA Cup defeat behind them

Gareth Ainsworth insists it’s “never doom and gloom” at Gillingham as he looks to put last weekend’s FA Cup humiliation behind them.

The Gills were booed off at Priestfield after last Saturday’s shock home defeat to non-league Barrow, but the manager remains positive about their league prospects.

Despite some setbacks, Gillingham are well placed in League Two, sitting eighth and just two points off third place. In a congested table, 15th-placed Shrewsbury are only two points worse off, highlighting the importance of finding some consistency.

Ainsworth, a self-confessed “glass half full” manager, is confident his side can still enjoy a successful season.

The Gills travel to second-from-bottom Colchester United this Saturday, with the opportunity to move into the play-off places with a win against a side who have gone 10 games without a league win.

He said: “When you take everything apart, we're doing quite well in the league, and we've got to make sure that we carry that on.

“We're right up there and if we can win on Saturday against Colchester, that'd be a fantastic win and we can probably sneak into the play-off [places], which would be great.”

Ainsworth and his players were booed off at the weekend as supporters voiced their displeasure – not for the first time this season.

But the manager insists the bigger picture remains positive.

He said: “When you look at the big picture, it's never doom and gloom. It never is for me, no matter where we are in the league, but a lot of people concentrate on where we are in the league.

“It's not doom and gloom at all. We're right in contention with some good teams and so absolutely positive, glass half full as always, we'll go again and these boys will be good for me.”

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