Gillingham boss Neil Harris acknowledged where his side were lacking in defeat to Millwall on Saturday.

The Gills lacked forward options with Lewis Walker (knee) out injured long-term and Oli Hawkins (heel) missing too - leaving Tom Nichols as the only senior striker on show. Millwall won the game 2-0.

Report: Gills 0 Millwall 2

Harris said: “It is clear to see at the moment that top end of the pitch is where we are looking at recruiting.

“I thought Millwall were miles infront of us first half, we lacked a little bit of intensity and looked like we had just got off a flight at half past 11 on Thursday night and trained for 35 minutes on Friday. Millwall looked fresh and sharp.

“Second half I thought much better, we needed half time to adjust and we were then the better team. It was a lot more like how we want to be, especially in terms of playing at home.

“(We have) to try and bed in good habits. That’s key for us and how we started that game in the first 45 minutes wasn’t ideal at home but what it enables me to do is remind the players what is expected when you play at home for Gillingham.

“We were much better second half, we moved the ball quicker, were brighter, a lot braver with the ball as well and ultimately should have scored a couple of goals ourselves.

“It looks like everyone has got through okay, there was no Oli Hawkins which is a shame because that really limits us on that dimension, adding his physicality into it, but he is not going to be out for long.

“It was difficult, Millwall are trying to get into the Premier League, we are trying to get out of League 2, we are using seven or eight players who are going to be in B team football this year. It was great exposure for them to be up against international footballers and players that have played in the Premier League or are trying to play in the Premier League and just for those youngsters to see the levels of where they need to aspire to get to.

“What we got out of it, not just today, but if I look at last Saturday to this Saturday, look at Dover, Como and Millwall, it’s been a brilliant seven days.

“I said to the players, ‘don’t look at that poor (first) 45 minutes, as an isolation, look at the week’, we have had a brilliant week, a tough week, really tough with the travelling and the heat in Como as well, but a really good week so I am really pleased.”

More: Harris’ tribute to a friend and a mentor

Prior to the match the Gills manager was joined by the opposition manager Gary Rowett in laying a wreath in memory of Millwall owner John Berylson, who died recently.

Harris said: “It was really nice for me and Gary (Rowett) to share that moment together and nice for Millwall fans to see the past and current manager together.

“It was nice to hear the Millwall fans singing his name, he didn’t have an ego, it wasn’t about John Berylson, but he would have enjoyed that moment. A huge loss to football.

“(It was) a small opportunity for us as a football club and people like myself, Dave Livermore (assistant) and (former Millwall player) Shaun Williams to pay a little bit of respect and appreciation to him but more so for the Millwall faithful to do that, two football clubs a lovely moment, a sad miss.”