Gillingham manager Andy Hessenthaler felt that the draw at Burton was a missed opportunity.

Hessenthaler was frustrated at the Gills’ sluggish first half display which culminated in them conceding a goal and chasing the game.

Cody McDonald eventually restored partity and although the Gills extended their unbeaten run in League 2 and climbed to fifth, Hessenthaler felt deflated.

“I feel a bit disappointed,” he confessed. “I’m sure all of the players in the dressing room will say that it’s a missed opportunity.

“In the first half we didn’t really get going and there weren’t enough players on the front foot, other than Jack Payne in the middle of the park who was here, there and everywhere, and the big man (Akinfenwa), who did all he could do up top but why we started like that I don’t know.

“We are full of confidence but we didn’t look like that in the first half. Second half it was a different story. We had plenty of opportunities and we really should have gone on and won the game.

“It was a missed opportunity and I know that results have gone pretty well for us and that makes it even harder for us to take because we have to take these opportunities when they come for us.”

McDonald popped up with a 78th minute equaliser and Hessenthaler admitted he was close to bringing him off before the goal.

“He was quiet and I was thinking about taking him off,” said Hessenthaler.

Luckily he thought better of it in the end.

“When you have someone on the pitch who scores goals the way he does he might only need one opportunity. In the end he got that opportunity and scored.

“It was a class finish.”

Despite Gillingham’s poor first half showing Hessenthaler decided against following last week’s example and giving them a stern dressing down.

“I did that last week and I didn’t feel like we needed it this time,” he said.

“I just felt we needed to show a bit more drive in our performance and a bit more desire.

“You need drive and passion and will to win. We didn’t have enough will to win in the first half. Second half we could have easily gone on and won the game.

“Obviously we are pleased because it’s 22 games with just two losses and 12 games unbeaten, a lot of draws in there but results have gone quite kindly for us.”