Gillingham striker Cody McDonald tangles with Bury defender Efe Sodje. Picture: Barry Goodwin

By Luke Cawdell

Cody McDonald may have been a bit too honest during Gillingham's 1-1 draw with Bury on Saturday, according to boss Andy Hessenthaler.

McDonald burst into the Bury box just moments after Curtis Weston had put Gills 1-0 ahead, but, under pressure from a defender, stabbed the shot wide.

Hessenthaler was careful not to condone diving, but knew a more experienced player may have hit the deck and given the referee plenty to think about.

"He could have thought about maybe going down, but that’s the honesty of the lad," Hessenthaler admitted.

"Some lads would have gone down there. Their lad would have got his marching orders and we would have got a penalty.

"A more proven striker may have been cleverer and gone down. I don’t like to see it, but it happens, and the clever ones would have got a penalty.

"I’m not saying it’s exactly what he should have done, he’s a player scoring goals, he still got himself through and he backed himself to score but he put it wide."

Do you applaud Cody McDonald's sportsmanship, or should he have tried to win a penalty for Gills? Have your say in our comments section below.