Defender David Tutonda has praised Gillingham manager Neil Harris for turning their defensive form around.

Harris has adopted a wing-back defensive shape after taking charge of the Gills in the wake of a 7-2 mauling against Oxford United.

• Harris: 'We have achieved nothing yet'

In Harris’ 11 games so far, the Gills have conceded eight goals with six clean sheets, the most impressive being the weekend shut-out against League 1 big-boys Sheffield Wednesday.

The Gills had picked up five clean sheets in the 28 league games before Harris took charge.

Tutonda said: “Since Neil has come in it has been a clean-sheet mentality, even in training, everything has been about not conceding easy goals and since he has been here, we have had a few clean sheets which is huge. You need that base to project yourselves and then you have to put the ball in the back of the net as well.

“The only thing we were missing (on Saturday) was a goal, which is a shame, at the same time we knew it would be a difficult game. We will take one point and all the positives from it and take it to Accrington (this weekend).”

Gillingham turned in one of their best performances of the season to pick up a point against Wednesday. They had enough chances to win it.

The Gills left wing-back said: “To a man, we were unbelievable, we knew it would be a tough game but we stuck to our game-plan and the fans were unbelievable as well, they stuck with us from minute one, to the 95th.

“When you play against teams like Sheffield Wednesday, everyone has to be on their A-game, you can’t afford to have any passengers, everyone stepped up to that level, which is good to see.

“I felt like we deserved a lot more from the game, the three points, but we got one and we can use that as a boost for the game against Accrington.”

The point against Sheffield Wednesday lifted the Gills out of the bottom four.

“That is massive,” commented the defender. “When the gaffer came in we were 10 point adrift, for us to be a point out of it just shows the impact the gaffer has had. To a man we have worked hard, we have taken instructions onboard, training every day is so detailed, but we know the job is far from done.

“Everyone is hungry, nobody wants to be in this position (fighting off relegation), but when you get a manager in like Neil who demands so much day-in, day-out, and gives opportunities to players who probably weren't playing at the time, he has his arm around you every day, it makes a massive difference.”