Gillingham head coach Stephen Clemence has called for unity as they look to overcome a testing period.

The Gills lost 2-0 to Crawley on Boxing Day - extending a run without a goal to three games - leaving them sitting 14th in the League 2 table.

Defeat at home followed a goalless draw with the division’s new bottom side Forest Green on Friday and the players were booed off by a frustrated home support.

Next up tomorrow night (Friday) is the visit of Sutton, a side who climbed off the foot of the table on Boxing Day with a 1-0 win at AFC Wimbledon.

“All we can do is keep working hard, stick together and keep trying to do that, but we understand there has to be improvements,” said Clemence after losing to Crawley.

“Unfortunately it is not going in for us and confidence is probably low with some of our attacking players. It is all they ever hear about, that we can’t create goals, we can’t do this and that, but what I think we need to do is all stick together.

“I understand people’s frustrations but we have to stick with it, all stick together and try and move forward together and get through this period.”

The Gills are in a run of favourable fixtures on paper against some of the League 2 lesser-lights.

Gillingham weren’t without their chances last time out, creating 16 attempts against Crawley, but their inability to convert possession and chances into goals continued.

“Football is cruel and that is why I am saying everyone has to stick together,” Clemence said. “You are going to be on

the end of results that you feel could have been different at times, but you have to take it on the chin.

“You have to be disappointed, you have to use that disappointment to fuel that desire to go in the next game and that is what the boys have got to do now, I will do that myself.

“I have seen with my analyst the chances we had in the second half (against Crawley) and we probably had one or two in the first half as well.

“All you can ask of people is to keep getting in there. When you are not getting chances and you are not in there to miss them and you stop making runs, this is a real problem, at least they are in there to miss them.”

The transfer window opens next week and the Gills will be keen to make improvements.

Clemence said: “I know the club are working very hard, looking to see what is around in the coming window.

“January is not always the easiest to deal in, but if there is anyone that can improve the starting XI then we will be looking to do that.

“There are definitely people being looked at but there are lots of moving parts to do a deal in football, you have to see whether it falls in place but people are working very hard to try and improve us.”