Manager Peter Taylor knows the Gillingham fans are owed a performance this weekend.

The Gills were backed by 936 supporters at Colchester last week but they had little to cheer from a performance that even Taylor couldn’t defend.

“It was a nightmare performance,” said the Gills boss, whose side host Swindon at Priestfield in League 1 on Saturday. “It was a nothing performance.

“Every time you play the next game after a disappointing one, there is a little more pressure on the players. They have got to handle that situation.

“On Saturday, I have put in my programme notes that I can only apologise because it certainly wasn’t good enough and it’s a shame because we took so many supporters there.

“We looked tired, the tempo was poor and then we conceded another three poor goals. They are the things that were going wrong at the start of the season.

“We mustn’t take away the game before last against Wolves, not that we can live on that, but it is not all doom and gloom because of one game.

“Against Colchester there were absolutely no excuses. I have looked at the video again and it is not good viewing.”