Interim boss Steve Lovell was delighted to see the Gills players respond to his way of thinking so quickly.

Lovell was put in charge on Thursday and between then and Saturday he set about putting his own stamp on things at Priestfield.

After a 1-0 win at high-flying Peterborough, he got success quicker than expected.

Report: Peterborough United 0 Gillingham 1

He said: “We have worked hard for the last two days (in training). Things don’t happen in two days but funnily enough they did today (Saturday).

“You could see in the first half, some of the football we played was very good and we created chances. The performance from the players was magnificent.”

Lee Martin’s goal capped a fine first half and they then stayed solid after the break to ensure Peterborough’s fightback was without success.

Lovell said: “I’m very pleased for everyone involved with the football club, the players, the chairman, the staff, everyone, because it hasn’t been an easy time since the start of the season.

“The players gave everything and they thoroughly deserved the result.

“First half we could have been three or four up. The keeper made a couple of good saves but we knew they were going to come at us and have a go (in the second half) but we defended so well and managed to hang on for the three points. It’s a massive, massive win for us.”

Lovell added extra pace in the side and tinkered with the formation, but not at the expense of their defensive resolve, keeping a clean sheet against one of the division’s top scoring sides.

“We needed to change something,” he said.

“We needed legs in the team and we needed to be more direct. You have to be defensively minded when you go to places like Peterborough. They are a good side, they have scored a lot of goals this year.

“They haven’t scored against us and that says something about our defensive duties as well. We played an attacking formation and within that you have to have a defensive structure. That is what we had.

“Players have to understand that and understand where they need to be wherever the ball is. They pulled it off.”