Gillingham manager Andy Hessenthaler has refused to concede defeat in the battle for promotion – despite drawing a blank at Oxford.

Favourable results elsewhere in League 2 meant that a 0-0 draw at the weekend still keeps Gillingham in the frame for a play-off place, with three games remaining.

The Gills are reliant on other teams slipping up and avoiding defeat themselves but Hessenthaler isn’t throwing in the towel at this stage.

He said: "We are not defeatist and you can’t rule ourselves out because mathematically we can still do it.

"It is still on and we are where we were before the game."

The Gills remain four points adrift of the top seven. It would have been six but play-off rivals Crewe conceded a late equaliser against Macclesfield on Saturday.

"We have three games to go and we are relying on others, in Oxford and Crewe, to slip up and so it’s not over yet," said Hessenthaler.

"We have to say it’s still on and there is no point giving up on it now because we have an opportunity.

"It is just that one place (to aim for) now unless we win all three and Cheltenham (in sixth) lose all of theirs."