Saturday’s win was a big relief for boss Justin Edinburgh.

It was Gillingham’s first league win in eight and gave the manager added belief that his men are moving in the right direction.

The Gills beat Northampton 2-1 thanks to a stoppage-time winner from Jay Emmanuel-Thomas.

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Match Report: Gillingham 2 Northampton Town 1

Edinburgh said: “I was very relieved and I am so pleased for the players and everyone connected with the football club, obviously the fans.

“I didn’t think it was coming, to be honest, I thought it was going to be another game where we thought we should have won but didn’t.

“It was a great finish from JET.”

The Gills were unable to capitalise on a positive start and had to come back from a first-half deficit.

“It has been a tale of the season so far,” said the manager.

“We dominated the first 35 minutes and after a lapse of concentration we go one behind.

A good block and a post stopped us going 2-0 down and I think that was a pivotal moment. It would have been hard for us to come back.”

Max Ehmer levelled early in the second half to put the Gills back on level terms.

Edinburgh said: “To get that goal as early as we did second half, the whole atmosphere of the stadium filtered through to the players. You think you are running out of time but to get the winner was a big relief.

“There are a couple of guys who were shouting behind me and saying some really comical things, well they might not be able to say it after that.”

Edinburgh had a number of selection decisions ahead of the game.

He said: “It’s the first time I could think of, this whole season, that I have had to think of who I was going to put on the bench.

“I left out Mark Byrne, Josh Pask and Darren Oldaker, who was probably the best player on the pitch against West Brom on Tuesday night.

“They were good decisions, not nice to make, but they are in the sense that you have to really think and be thoughtful in your selection.

“That was pleasing and the good thing is we came off the pitch with no further injuries. That bodes well for the next few weeks.”