Justin Edinburgh was left to pick up the pieces after a mad spell proved costly for his team.

A four-goal burst from Coventry in the opening half left the Gills out of contention in the top of the table clash.

The Gills boss said: “Something we have to learn is that when we concede we have to stay in the game because to concede four goals in 12 minutes is not good enough.

“We are disappointed. We were in the game, we were comfortable but the game turned on its head from having one cleared off the line. A mistake has allowed them to score.

“What we need to learn very quickly is that we need to stay in the game thereafter. We got so despondent that within seven or eight minutes we were out of the game.”

The Gills pulled one back after the break through Bradley Dack.

That response pleased the manager.

He said: “There was only one thing we could do and that was to restore some pride and make sure we didn’t lose the second half, which they did.

“It was probably too little too late but there are a lot of things to learn from.

“It is the second away game (in succession) we have been undone in a short space of time. It’s a young group and we have to learn quickly but they are the areas we need to learn and when we concede we need to stay in the game thereafter.

“I am pleased with the second half because it would have been easy to go under and have been pulled all over the place but we got a goal and that’s some credit to take.”