GILLINGHAM'S players suffered the wrath of player-manager Andy Hessenthaler after Saturday’s dismal 5-0 defeat at Cardiff (Andy Ramsbottom writes).

Hessenthaler was furious after their below-par performance at Ninian Park.

The players were called in for training on Sunday as Hessenthaler tried to put things right for Tuesday’s game against Norwich at Priestfield.

He was so upset with his team’s display he sent coach Wayne Jones out to face the media after the match. Jones said: “We need to go away and think long and hard about this performance. The manager was incensed about what happened.

“We talked before the game about our height advantage but their first two goals came as a result of headers.”

Jones said Hessenthaler’s frustration at how his side was performing boiled over after the controversial third goal. Hessenthaler was sent from the bench after complaining about the referee and returned as a substitute to pick up a booking for a foul on John Robinson.

Jones added: “He felt that before Cardiff’s third goal the referee pointed for a free-kick to us and Chris Hope ran up the pitch, thinking he had got the decision. He shouldn’t have done that but he was convinced the referee had given the free-kick to us."

He added: "Andy was a bit upset following the goal and watching us perform like that.”

Cardiff manager Lennie Lawrence said he had been amused to see Hessenthaler return from exile to come on as a substitute. He said: “Fair play to Andy, he obviously found sitting in the dressing room a bit boring. But the result aside, he’s a bright young manager and a fantastic player - even though I let him go when he was a 19-year-old at Charlton.”

Jones suggested Gillingham’s poor defensive performance could hasten the return of captain Paul Smith to the side. He said: “What happened out there could mean Smith returns sooner rather than later. The games against Norwich and West Ham are big, big games and we need to bounce back.”