MANAGER Mark Stimson will adopt a back-to-basics approach after watching Gillingham suffer a 4-0 defeat at Hartlepool on Saturday.

The defeat means Gillingham remain fourth from bottom in League 1, with a game in hand over fellow strugglers Crewe and Cheltenham.

Stimson said: “The players, like myself, get judged in football matches. Now is the time to do the basics.

“They have got to do what they are good at. If you are paid to stop the ball going in the net, you stop it.

“I think one or two players in that area of the pitch didn’t do well enough. I think every set-piece that Hartlepool had they nearly got a clean header on the ball.

“We do put the markers up on the board before the game but certain players didn’t do their job and that’s surprising because those players are the ones in our team with experience.”

The Gills boss has already admitted his side are in a relegation scrap but is refusing to press the panic button.

Stimson added: “We’ve now got to stand up and play what I would call sensible football.

“Everyone has to do their job in the team and play to their strengths.

“Don’t try anything spectacular because that’s not needed at the moment. What’s needed is a nice nitty-gritty, eight out of 10 performance.

“If we’ve got eight players playing like Adam Miller then we won’t be in this position. If we’ve only got one or two then we are going to be.”

See Monday's Medway Messenger for all the action and reaction from Victoria Park.