Saturday was a day to forget for Gills boss Steve Lovell.

His team lost 5-1 at Colchester and were reduced to 10 men, following the dismissal of last season’s player-of-the-year Mark Byrne.

Lovell said: “It’s an off day, a day at the office we want to forget.

Report: Colchester United 5 Gillingham 1

“It was the first time in pre-season this year where we didn’t look sharp and we were second to the ball. We have just got to build up for next week and that is the most important thing.”

The Gills were hit by the counter-attack early on and found themselves three goals down.

He said: “Perhaps collectively defensively we weren’t really switched on and in positions to deal with their counter attack but they took their goals well, they are a decent side, they will do well.

“We spent all of the second half and some of the first with 10 men, so it was good fitness for the boys.

“It was disappointing to concede five goals but these things happen. Nobody likes to go to any ground and lose 5-1 but it is something we will look at and there are things that happen in the game that has helped to make our mind up on certain things.

“The pre-season has gone alright up until now and this is just a bit of a blip.

“We have got a week to put it right and sometimes things like this can be a positive. We lost and there are things we need to work on.”

Lovell certainly won’t be getting carried away by the result and performance.

“It’s one game,” he said, reacting to a question over whether the performance would prompt a move into the transfer market.

“People can get carried away with one game. It’s alright saying ‘you’ve lost the game 5-1 go and get some more players’ but the squad was great before this game.

“Everyone was happy, the players are happy with each other but then when a result like this happens we should try and sign another three or four players. Our squad is fine, there is nothing wrong with it.”