ANDY HESSENTHALER walked away from a war of words with opposite number Carlton Palmer at the end of Gillingham's 2-0 win last night at Stockport. Palmer, Stockport's player-manager and a man renowned for speaking his mind, insisted: "On another day we would have beaten Gillingham by four or five goals.

"In the second half we camped in Gillingham's half. The fact that we didn't win has everything to do with the position we're in at the foot of the table."

His comments contasted starkly with Hessenthaler's views on a match that saw Gillingham chalk up three straight league wins for the first time since last season's promotion.

Asked about Palmer's remarks and the chances of him saving Stockport from relegation, Gills boss Hessenthaler backed off from a confrontation. He said: "Football is all about opinion and Carlton is entitled to his. I don't want to comment on what he has to do to keep Stockport up but I believe we were the better side on the night and the scoreline shows that. We certainly passed the ball a lot better than Stockport did. I give our players all credit for coming here on a cold, wet Tuesday night and producing a thoroughly professional performance at a ground where the club has never done well."

Goals from Iffy Onuora in the 32nd minute and Marlon King in the 88th minute kept County rooted to the foot of Division 1.

Onuora headed home at the near post from Simon Osborn's corner before King sealed victory with a clincal finish from Guy Butters' defence splitting pass.

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