Deon Burton tries in vain to find a way to goal. Picture: Barry Goodwin

by Luke Cawdell

Gillingham assistant manager John Schofield was keen to look at the bigger picture rather than focus solely on Tuesday’s defeat at home to Oxford.

A 1-0 home loss had no bearing on the league table as results elsewhere left Gillingham two points clear at the top of League 2.

Schofield said: "We have 46 games to play and the target over 46 games is to get as many points as we can.

"We are not happy to lose any game but over the course of the season there are going to be games where we don’t take points out of them. We have a goal that we are aiming for and we will be judged on that over 46 games.

"We are still top of the league and I believe we have earned the right over the course of a season not to pick points up in certain games. Are we disappointed? Of course we are. But judge us over 46 games.

"It is always disappointing not to pick points up but we have to remain positive."

The Gills failed to score at Priestfield and it was young substitute Bradley Dack who came closest, with a close-range effort that was blocked by visiting keeper Luke McCormick.

"Within 30 seconds of coming on he has arrived in the middle of the box, unmarked and picked up a second ball but caught it too sweet," said Schofield.

"He has that knack of getting in the box. He is going to score goals and he is going to score goals at every level that he plays at. Whatever that level is and the way he works and trains, he can go all the way to the top."

The Gills also introduced new recruit Antonio German – after signing him on the eve of the match from Brentford.

"He has come in at the fifth hour and that makes it difficult," said the Gills No.2. "He has got on and got a chance and there is more to come from him, for sure. He was nice and positive and he played off the shoulder, competed for the second balls and I thought he was unlucky a couple of times.

"He got crowded out a few times but we have to remember Oxford are fighting and scrapping and they have had some good victories this year. "

The Gills were dealt another blow in the match after Myles Weston limped off with a foot injury.

"That was disappointing but what it does is give other people a chance," said Schofield.

"We had to slightly change our game-plan but overall when you look at it we had good spells and good chances. Dack came on and was really unlucky with his first touch of the ball and I think he caught it too well.

"If he doesn’t catch it well it goes in the corner but great save by the keeper. We created three or four good chances in the game, didn’t take them, but that’s football."