More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
Gillingham boss Steve Evans felt his side should have had a stoppage-time penalty at Cheltenham but admitted the better team won through on the night.
Their League 1 rivals Cheltenham won the match 1-0 at Whaddon Road but when John Akinde was bundled over in the box with 95 minutes played there were big shouts for a penalty. Referee Lee Swabey waved play on and blew for full-time seconds later.
Commenting on the game, Evans said: “The better team on the night won, there are no doubts about that, we have probably got three players who would start in our normal eleven, and we have got a 16-year-old coming on to try and keep us in a cup tie and also 17-year-olds and so it was pretty tough.
“They are a decent side, they have good players, but games always hinge on decisions don’t they and we should have been going to extra-time shouldn’t we? Tell me that is not a penalty.
"It is a penalty kick, you cannot barge someone over in the box and expect not to have a penalty.
"When I shook (the Cheltenham manager's) hand at the end one of his assistants said they would have shouted for it and they were next to it so I think we know what they think.
"I think the referee got wrong decisions all night for us and Cheltenham.
“I will look at it (on the video) but the analyst said it was a clear-cut penalty. He is a referee that on the night has been really poor, but we have no arguments about going out of the cup because Cheltenham were better than us.
“We were poor. Those players arguing about playing in the team didn’t produce the performances that says they should be playing when those (injured) boys are back.
“We had too many players that weren’t equal to what Cheltenham have got.
“We don’t question effort and determination to stay in the cup, we know we have been outplayed, but there was one team determined to stay in the cup at the end, which was us, one team determined to get the second goal which was Cheltenham and you can see what they do, we put four upfront and they put six at the back, it is pretty difficult to get through.
“But a big opportunity comes and it is a penalty and I think if that happens in any other minute apart from 20-30 seconds to go he gives it, but I don’t think I have ever had a good performance from that referee, not me personally, he will think he has had a good game though."
More on the Gills;
