MAMADY SIDIBE'S rise from the doldrums of despair to his finest performance for Gillingham in Saturday's rip-roaring 4-3 win at Ipswich won special acclaim from his manager Andy Hessenthaler.

The man from Mali, who had been a stranger to his best form since the start of the season, scored one, created another and caused mayhem in the home defence on a memorable afternoon for himself and the club.

Before Saturday's remarkable match, Gillingham had found goals hard to come by with 14 in 15 games while Ipswich are the top scorers in the Nationwide League, Division 1 with 32.

While Hessenthaler gushed praise on the team, describing the win as the best of the season, he found it impossible to ignore Sidibe's overwhelming contribution.

“He wasn't anywhere near his best at the start of the season so we pulled him out and gave him a rest,” he said. “I remember him giving a similar performance last season at Sheffield United when he didn't have any luck.

“Out there today he was back to his best. When the chance came to score just before half time I thought he took it superbly.

“A couple of weeks earlier and he would have whacked that chance over the bar because he once tended to lash at the ball. But he's improving and you saw that today with the way he composed himself and took the chance.

“I'm especially pleased for him but I've told him that he's got to keep playing like that because this game's all about consistency and he needs to be consistent.”

Hessenthaler revealed that the win had been made all the more surprising by the fact that the team did not have the best preparation for the match, losing the experience of Barry Ashby and John Hills to flu.

“The way finances are at the club, we can't afford flu jabs,” he joked. “Bearing that in mind, it was just an unbelievable game and I was just pleased I was out there and not sitting on the bench.

“But I believe that calibre of performance has been coming after playing so well at Reading and the leaders Wigan and losing. Today we were just fantastic against a very good footballing side who were on a roll.

“When they pulled it back to 3-3, I would have settled for point. In fact we were trying to waste time in the corner when the ball broke for our winner.”

Referring to Ipswich manager Joe Royle winning the Manager of the Month for October, Hessenthaler added: “I'm glad that jinx is still working.”

Managers who win the award tend to lose their next game. But Royle was in no mood to joke afterwards at the end of the club's six-match unbeaten run. He said: “Gillingham must have thought Christmas had come early as two of their goals were gift-wrapped.

“I didn't trust our defence from the first minute. It's hard to name one defender who showed his best form. When we got back to 3-3 I expected us to go on and win the game because I felt Gillingham looked tired after their midweek trip to Bolton. But no team can afford to concede four goals at home.”