Peter Taylor admitted he had never seen a half as bad as the first at Leyton Orient.

The 61-year-old Gillingham manager, who has managed at all levels of the game, at home and abroad, couldn’t believe what he was seeing on Saturday.

His side conceded four first-half goals as they were brushed aside by high-flying Orient in League 1.

He said: “It was probably the most embarrassing 45 minutes I have ever had as a manager.
“All you saw was the good play of Orient and poor play from us. You didn’t see any attacking play from us but you saw poor defending, poor decision-making and we were just too far away from them. They just relaxed and played.”

Taylor was clearly upset by the performance, as his side lost for the third game running and remain uncomfortably close to the relegation scrap below.

“I am a professional manager that has been embarrassed. I don’t like losing, simple as that."

He said: “I am a professional manager that has been embarrassed. I don’t like losing, simple as that.

“But I am realistic as well. I understand the situation and am determined to have a good week with the players to then make sure we put in a performance against Tranmere.”

Gills improved after the break but by then Orient had the points secured.

Taylor said: “I have been around a few years. You can try and go in there to punch everyone on the nose, or what do you do? We need the players to be with us and to keep believing.

“The players all know, they are not silly. They know the first half was not good enough. Defensively we were not good enough.”