Gillingham boss Neil Harris: Only an individual error cost us at Charlton – we deserved something

Neil Harris felt Gillingham deserved at least a point at Charlton Athletic last night – and was left unhappy at the nature of the goal they conceded.

The Gills stay in the relegation zone following the 1-0 defeat. A draw would have moved them out of the League One bottom four but Alex Gilbey’s first-half strike gave the Addicks a valuable three points.

Harris said: “Ultimately, it wasn’t a game we deserved to lose. We deserved at least a point out of it. Charlton had a lot of the ball in the first half and we were fine with that, we were comfortable without the football.

“I said to the boys at half time, for 40 minutes we were fine and there weren’t any real major issues. We give a really poor goal away. It’s an avoidable goal and we can’t afford – with the position we’re in – to give away individual errors.

“At half-time I said we needed to be a bit more aggressive without the ball, get a little bit higher up the pitch. Second half was excellent, we really stepped onto Charlton and ultimately we had the better of the second half.

“My players gave me everything tonight, that’s all I can ever ask of the smallest group of players I’ve ever had. My only disappointment tonight was our lack of quality in the final third.

“We got into some really good areas and just lacked a bit of creativity. We defend as a team and score as a team. We give a poor goal away, and then your best chance falls to a centre-half.

“If we had got the point we deserved tonight, we’d be out of the relegation zone tonight and it would be another boost. What I can control at the moment is the mentality of my players and the togetherness of the group, which is absolutely first class.“

PICTURES: PAUL EDWARDS