Josh Wright apologised after his penalty miss at MK Dons on Saturday.

The midfielder, who scored four goals from the spot last season, fired his 88th-minute spot-kick over the bar with the Gills trailing Milton Keynes 1-0.

Wright tweeted an apology after the game, saying: “Absolutely gutted and disappointed in myself with the penalty and can only apologise to everyone concerned. Should do better.”

Wright had a penalty saved on Gills’ last visit to Stadium MK but followed up to score the rebound that day. There was no opportunity to do the same this time around as the ball went sailing over the bar.

Striker Tom Eaves had previously expressed his wish to take penalties for the Gills and was keen to have it on Saturday, but afterwards head coach Ady Pennock insisted Wright was their number one choice.

Pennock said: “Josh Wright is disappointed to have missed the penalty, which is unusual for him, but he was brave enough to take it.

“He would be silly not to take them, following last season. We have spoken about it and he will be the penalty taker. Otherwise it would be Tom Eaves. Tom wanted it but Josh was brave enough to take it.”

Pennock admitted they were “very lucky” to get the penalty in the first place, after Liam Nash was clipped by home keeper Lee Nicholls.

The Gills had better shouts for a penalty later on, when Max Ehmer was tripped in the box. Eaves also felt he should have had one.

Eaves said: “It was a foul. The referee was 10 yards away from it and made the decision not to give it. A few things could have gone our way but they never did.”

When asked about Wright’s penalty miss, he said: “That can happen to anyone. Unfortunately he missed but that is football.

“He was disappointed. People miss penalties, people score penalties. It is what it is. We win together, lose together.”