Mark Byrne was glad to have played a big part in helping Gillingham keep a clean sheet on Saturday.

His goalline clearance denied Oldham substitute Queensy Menig midway through the second half.

Byrne, voted man-of-the-match by the sponsors, said: “It was a goalline clearance save which I am delighted with and it’s another clean sheet which continues that unbeaten run for us.

“Tomas (Holy, the keeper) did well to send him to the side and as a footballer you are always trying to cover the keeper. I ran in behind, he scuffed it a bit and I got the clearance. I was happy with that.”

Manager Steve Lovell was too, praising the ‘footballing brain’ of the 29-year-old midfielder.

“That typifies Mark Byrne,” said Gills boss Lovell.

“His energy levels are fantastic. Sometimes people who have football brains become better players, because they understand the game.

“It is not just endeavour, he can read the situation and he thought ‘right, Tomas Holy is coming out, where can I help him?’ The obvious place was behind him, that was what he was thinking.

“That came natural to him, that isn’t something you teach. He read the game, knowing Tomas was coming out and there was a problem and he stopped the ball going in the net.”

Byrne admitted the Gills were slow out of the blocks at the weekend.

He said: “The boys didn’t start too well, it was a slow first 15-20 minutes, but once we got into it second half, we were a threat.

“We might have lost that two or three nil at the start of the season.

“You can see the confidence in the players, the determination and the work rate, which has been brilliant.

“The boys are digging in deep, we are working hard for each other and we are confident we can beat a lot of teams.

“At the end of the season these results could be vital.”