by Luke Cawdell

Gillingham manager Andy Hessenthaler says his strikers didn’t deserve to end up on the losing side after Saturday’s defeat to AFC Wimbledon.

A home debut double by Gavin Tomlin (pictured) and an impressive finish from the returning Jo Kuffour were overshadowed by a poor defensive display as the Gills went on to lose 4-3.

"I felt sorry for the front three; they were outstanding and looked a threat all afternoon," said Hessenthaler.

Tomlin, without a goal in 22 appearances for Dagenham this season, took just five minutes to open his Gills account on Saturday after making his first start for the Blues.

Hessenthaler, who signed Tomlin on loan for the remainder of the season, said: "A few people looked at him at Dagenham and thought, ‘well, he has no goals’, but I looked at him last year when he went to Torquay. He turned them into a play-off team with the few goals he chipped in with.

"He scored two and ended up losing, there is nothing worse than that. He got the man-of-the-match champagne and he could have been celebrating, but unfortunately he had to come in training on Sunday and that’s the harsh reality of football, because it’s a team game and we have to sort it out."

Leading scorer Kedwell returned to action against his former club, despite only recently recovering from a cracked rib.

"He was terrific," added the Gills boss. "It was a risk and it’s Murphy’s law that he will get a kick or an elbow on it, or whatever. You are waiting for that.

"He was devastated with the result. When you play against your old club you want it to go well. Unfortunately for Dan they have done the double over us."