Andy Hessenthaler shouts out instructions during Gillingham's 2-1 defeat at Northampton Town. Picture: Barry Goodwin.

Gillingham boss Andy Hessenthaler admitted his side just weren’t good enough on Saturday.

The Gills took the lead with a Chris Palmer free-kick but threw it away by conceding from a set-piece and a penalty in the first half.

Hessenthaler said: “We weren’t good enough, simple as that.

“We dominated the first 15 minutes and they did exactly what we wanted them to do. They had been on a bit of a sticky run in the league and we tried to make them a bit nervous early on and we did that.

“We scored a great goal and then typical us, we shoot ourselves in the foot away from home again and it can’t keep happening.

“It’s human error. Last week we were winning the game and in the 95 minute we made a mistake. At Bradford we lost points. I know we are a team but individual errors at pivotal times have cost us.

“You don’t concede after 15 minutes from a set play. Set plays are a big thing in football and Matt Lawrence has apologised. It was his man.

“I expect better from Matt and as for the penalty it was a joke. They are both pulling each other and the referee is closer than the linesman and he is looking straight at it.

“The linesman gave it but it's never a penalty.

“In the second half we had a lot of the ball, but the ball in the final third wasn’t good enough. The ball retention wasn’t good enough. It came off people too easily and the game fizzled out.”

Have your say on the Gills' performance by leaving a comment below.