Gillingham manager Steve Evans blasted the referee for a costly penalty decision at Fleetwood but wasn’t happy with his own team either.

Home side Fleetwood took a second minute lead at Highbury - the only goal of the game - after Connor Ogilvie was adjudged to have pushed home forward Ged Garner in the box.

Evans didn’t even think it was a foul and has already spoken to EFL head of referees Mike Jones to make his feelings known.

The Gills boss said: “First half we were poor, they get a penalty after 45 seconds and it wasn’t even a foul, but there is no point me going on about the referee, he was absolutely pathetic, really, really poor.

“I don’t really know the guy but I have spoken to the head of referees who says he will look at it. It is simply not a penalty.”

The performance of his own team disappointed him too, however.

“We weren’t at it first half,” he said. “We were poor and players, for me, showed a lack of effort, lack of desire and a lack of willingness to work hard.

“I just think for some they get the shirt and it is an automatic pick and you can see the players we took off were not affecting the game.

“Jacko was struggling a bit (after picking up a knock) and we made a change. Second half we certainly deserved to equalise.

“We gave a few sloppy things away near the end when we were chasing it, Jack Tucker has got sloppy, but in fairness we should have had a penalty ourselves. Connor Ogilvie gets dragged to the ground and I think Stuart O’Keefe is taken out just inside the box.”

Evans added: “It was a poor game, we played poorly, Simon Grayson’s team get the win and it is about winning and points accumulation.

“But just watch the penalty decision. Tell me how I should be feeling with a seven hour journey back to Kent. How should we feel?”

Report: Fleetwood 1 Gillingham 0