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Andy Hessenthaler unhappy with Gillingham's 'schoolboy' defending

Andy Hessenthaler heads towards the dressing at half-time during the defeat to Wycombe
Andy Hessenthaler heads towards the dressing at half-time during the defeat to Wycombe

Andy Hessenthaler heads towards the dressing at half-time during the defeat to Wycombe Picture: Barry Goodwin

by Luke Cawdell

Andy Hessenthaler labelled some of his team’s defending as “schoolboy” after slumping to a 2-0 home defeat to Wycombe on Tuesday night.

The Gills manager saw his side slip to 20th in League 2 as the visitors took advantage of a poor defensive display.

Hessenthaler said: “I was really disappointed. We were too loose defensively from the start of the game and they carved us open too many times early on. Then they made us pay.

“We tried to play a high line and that was something we worked on in training but for some reason we tried to play a high line when there was no pressure on the ball, you can’t do that. If there is no pressure on the ball you have to drop off and it was schoolboy stuff really.

“We didn’t start right but after conceding the goals we came back into it and had a few opportunities

“You can see there is no real belief in us at the moment, no confidence to go in there. We need to break a gut to get there and go and score and get a tap in. When your confidence is high you tuck those chances away.

“There were two teams out there. One was a confident side that is doing very well on a decent run and one which is on a poor run, so, what do you do?

“Do you bury your head in the sand or keep working hard to turn things around? That’s what we have to do. I did feel for the boys because it wasn’t for the lack of trying.

“It’s tough at the moment but we have to keep working hard and to try and work things around.”

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