By Luke Cawdell

Gillingham boss Andy Hessenthaler praised the “tremendous” effort of his team after they took maximum points against Rotherham United on Monday.

Andy Barcham’s late strike earned the points for Hessenthaler’s Gillingham team and puts them back in the play-off positions with two games to go in League 2.

He said: “We are delighted with the three points. It was a real squad effort and we are back in there.

“It would have been an injustice if we had gone away without three points. Over the 90 minutes we created the better chances and had it been 0-0 I would have been quite disappointed. On another day Cody could have got two or three, he had some good opportunities.”

Hessenthaler, pictured, made SEVEN changes to his side following Saturday’s defeat to Barnet and it paid off.

“After the weekend I felt we needed to do something,” he said. “I was also mindful that we had two games in a short space of time and we decided to go the way we did.

“Quite a few players were surprised but that’s the way we did it and we came out with a fantastic result.

“There were some really good performances and Mark Bentley was outstanding. He looks like that little spell away has helped him fitness wise because he has been playing games. He has come back and looked tremendous as did all the players.”

Hessenthaler changed the whole back four with Tony Sinclair, Garry Richards, Simon King and Joe Martin all coming in.

“It may have been a little harsh on some players,” Hessenthaler admitted. “Matt Lawrence has been different class and probably one of our most consistent players.

“But against Barnet we just weren’t at it. You are only as good as your last game and we can forget about that 16-game unbeaten run, we just didn’t perform in that Barnet game. I changed things around.

“There were a few surprises but I am the manager and I have to make these decisions.”

King, making only his second start of the season, failed to last the 90 minutes as he hobbled off with cramp.

“In the end the fatigue crept in,” said the Gills boss. “We never thought he would make 90 minutes, not in a game like that.

“They would throw things in at the end, go three at the back and push people on. One drop and it could have gone in for them but we defended for our lives. He had to come off in the end.”

If you were in Andy Hessenthaler's shoes would you have made as many changes for the Rotherham game? Have your say below.

Picture: Barry Goodwin