KEVIN KEEGAN attempted to console Gillingham as players and supporters trudged away licking their wounds after Saturday's 4-1 mauling at Maine Road. The Manchester City and former England manager insisted: "Gillingham are too good to go down. There is enough spirit in the side to make sure they'll stay up. Other teams might have caved in at 4-0 down but that was never going to happen with Gillingham. They kept going right up until the final whistle."

But Keegan conceded that his players had "showboated" in the final stages of the game. He said: "If we had maintained our first half momentum through to the second then I don't know what the final score would have been. But a few thought we had done enough and decided to do a bit of showboating. Overall, I was pleased with our performance, especially in the midfield."

In a warning to the rest of the Nationwide League, Division 1, he added: "We're still a long way from playing in the way that I want. At the moment we're just doing okay."

Richard Hill, Gillingham's assistant manager, offered no excuses as the club's mini-revival came to a shuddering halt.

"There are times during a season when you must put up your hand and say that you were beaten by a better side," said Hill. "I don't think there is another club in the Division that could have lived with Manchester City in that mood. We were unfortunate that we caught them on a very good day."

Asked why striker Marlon King had not started the match after looking lively when he came on and scored, Hill said: "Guy Ipoua had done well up front and we saw no reason to change things."

Fellow striker Iffy Onuora, who gave way to King after 61 minutes. sustained a deep cut in a knee but is expected to be fit for Saturday's match at Crewe.

Hill escaped the threat of a possible touchline ban when he was cleared by an FA disciplinary commission following remarks made to referee Colin Webster at the end of the 1-0 defeat by West Bromwich Albion on August 27. Hill had asked for a personal hearing.