by Luke Cawdell

Martin Allen was pleased to see Gillingham tighten up at the back as his side picked up a second successive clean sheet.

A 1-0 win over Bradford on Saturday was followed by a goalless draw with York on Tuesday night.

Gills boss Allen, pictured, said: “It was a tough game. I didn’t like it when I saw they lost 4-0 on Saturday.

“We have been in Yorkshire for a few days preparing but when you play any team off the back of a 4-0 hammering you are going to have your work cut out.

“We weathered the first-half storm and stepped higher up the field in the second half and went after them more. We were more positive right the way through.

“I thought in the second half we played very well, we played higher up the field and I don’t think our keeper had a save to make in the second half.

“We have looked more solid, more difficult to beat and we have tried to pass the ball a lot more as well.

“On Saturday the possession against Bradford was superb. We really did get the ball down and play and take the pressure off the game by keeping the ball, we took the sting out of it.

“We perhaps didn’t pass it as much as I would have liked on Tuesday but the pitch didn’t help, that’s for sure. I still think we tried to get the ball down and play and to move it around.

“We didn’t create as many chances as we would have liked but overall I thought it was a good performance and all of us, on and off the field, have seen that we are all trying to improve, myself especially, to make our team and our squad better.”

The Gills almost snatched the win late on, when Charlie Lee smashed a shot against the bar after controlling the ball with his first touch, just seconds after coming on as a substitute.

“It was amazing and we all know that’s what Charlie can do,” said Allen.

“We put Charlie into a central midfield position, he has been very good in training and very positive, very buoyant and he did well at Bradford when he went on.

“I kind of half knew he would go on at some point. We have seen in training that Charlie can win a game and that’s why we put him on.

“If that went in it would have been one of the best goals ever. I think I would have run on the pitch had that gone in, it was amazing, what a great bit of skill.”

Allen confirmed after the match that Charlie Allen suffered a broken hand in the first half.