Cody McDonald opens the scoring for the Gills Picture: Barry Goodwin

by Luke Cawdell

Promotion talk was back on the agenda at Gillingham following Saturday’s home win over Stockport.

Just a week after looking like League 2 no-hopers at Accrington, goals from Cody McDonald and Jack Payne got the Gills back to winning ways.

Despite being rocked by conceding seven goals at Accrington, and the criticism that followed, boss Andy Hessenthaler is still targeting a place in League 1 next season.

After kissing goodbye to a stop-start first 10 games, he’s hoping for a brighter future.

"We need to get back to where we belong and that’s League 1," said Hessenthaler. "That’s the first stage. Let’s get back there and consolidate, and then who knows where we can go.

"It was a good win on Saturday, it was a good response and that’s what we wanted.

"We don’t want to see another game like last Saturday and I’m sure we won’t.

"Credit to the boys, they deserved it because they came under fire."

Gillingham made headlines for all the wrong reasons last weekend but Hessenthaler was delighted to see his side bounce back in the right direction.

He said: "Since last Saturday we’ve come under some criticism and rightly so because we were not good enough. The players know that.

"The players have gone out there this week and given me everything. They’ve just got to do that on a weekly basis now and if we do that we’ll be a good side.

"You should hold your hand up and take the criticism but that should push you on and you should have more desire to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

"The players knew what they had to do and the team talk was pretty easy. We don’t like criticism but good players should bounce back and that’s what we did."

Has Saturday's win raised your belief that Gillingham can go up this season? Have your say and comment below.