Andy Hessenthaler leaves the pitch at half-time Picture: Barry Goodwin

by Luke Cawdell

Andy Hessenthaler admitted his team were out-played by Crawley and had no complaints about the result.

The Gills struggled to match their promotion rivals at Priestfield on Tuesday night.

“We didn’t really get going and we were beaten by the better team,” admitted a disappointed Hessenthaler.

“We lost with dignity though and we took it on the chin, that’s what we do at this football club. We hold our hands up.

“I thought we were a yard off it and we didn’t get close enough to people. They pinned us back in the first half but we knew how they played. We had watched them a few times and balls from back to front are going to go up to Gary Alexander.”

Hessenthaler thought Alexander should have been sent off in the first half after an ugly challenge on Gills central defender Connor Essam.

“It was a straight red,” he said.

The Gills had Danny Spiller sent off for a heavy challenge recently at Priestfield.

“If Spiller’s (challenge) is a straight red then why has Alexander not been sent off? It was an absolutely disgraceful tackle on Connor,” continued Hessenthaler.

“He has done our centre half and he should never have been on the pitch. I am disappointed in the referee’s decision but sometimes you get them and sometimes you don’t. For me he has gone in with his studs.”

Alexander and fellow striker Leon Clarke proved problematic all evening.

“Our two boys (in central defence) found it difficult,” said the Gills boss.

“They were big and strong and the problem is that we didn’t compete well enough with them. We said at half-time that we were lucky it was 0-0.

“All we had to do was find a bit more. We had a lot more to give whereas they, perhaps, didn’t have any more to give.

"In the last 10-15 minutes we piled the pressure on from set plays and hit the post. One could have dropped for us but you have to give them credit because they defended for their lives. It was a disappointing night but we just have to take it.”

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