Gillingham got back on track with a home draw against Blackburn Rovers.

After witnessing his team’s performance boss Steve Lovell said he wished he could play them every week.

Their performance in the midweek draw against Blackburn was in stark contrast to the goalless draw against Doncaster at the weekend.

Lovell said: “We didn’t start brightly on Saturday, we were very flat, there was no urgency at all from us and that’s not like us. Even the games against Bury and Wigan we had a go in the first half.

“The players knew what they had to do and it was a matter of getting out there and doing it from the first whistle. Playing against the league leaders, it gives everyone a lift, they want to play and perform against them, I wish we could play against them every week!

Report: Gillingham 0 Blackburn Rovers 0

“It was a very good performance, against the league leaders going into the game, a very good squad and very good players they have got, it was important we came out bright and started the game well, that’s what we didn’t do on Saturday.

“We did it this time, we matched them, they had a bit of possession but they never really hurt us, we had the best opportunities to win the game in the end. The boys worked hard, rolled their sleeves up and had a go. I said all along, they are a really hard working bunch of players, they deserved their point.”

Blackburn dropped to second after being held at Priestfield, losing top spot to Wigan after they beat Rochdale 4-1.

“It was a big game for them,” Lovell said.

“Reading (Blackburn manager) Tony Mowbray’s pre-match reports about us, he knew it was going to be a hard one coming here, but it was probably a different side to what he thought might have been out from Saturday, bringing the likes of Callum Reilly back as well, he gives us balance in midfield and he was good, everybody put in a shift and we thoroughly deserved the point.

“That is what we have got to do, if we are going to compete with the better teams in this league, we all have to roll up our sleeves, perform to our best and give everything and that’s what they did.”

Read more reaction in this Thursday's Medway Messenger newspaper