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Loan keeper Jamie Cumming impressed Gillingham boss Steve Evans and the coaches from Chelsea watching on as he bounced back from a costly mistake.
Evans felt the 21-year-old should have saved the shot from Morecambe’s Cole Stockton that levelled the League 1 match but was thrilled to see the way the rookie then handled himself as the Gills fought back to win 2-1.
Cumming wasn’t overly tested in the match but after apologising to his team-mates for the goal that went in he then put on an assured display in the second half to ensure the visitors had no more joy at his expense.
Evans was delighted, saying: “I love a kid that walks into a dressing room, a young man with a big future, to say ‘sorry boys I have let you down.’ I said to him, ‘okay, I now want a mature performance second half, don’t think about that anymore'.
“I met the coaching staff from Chelsea who were there to see him and they asked me my immediate thoughts and I said, without analysing it too far, ‘yes it was a mistake but what a level of maturity from that kid’. The top man in the Chelsea coaching side said the same.
“He came out for five or six crosses, he was very comfortable, and never looked like conceding second half.
“He had made a mistake but he matured second half, he was excellent.
“If there was any criticism of (Gills’ previous no.1) Jack Bonham, he didn’t make many mistakes but if he did then he would have a wobble for the rest of the match.
“I am looking for a maturity and it was really interesting that the Chelsea goalkeeping staff were saying the same in the stand, ‘let’s see what the recovery is like second half’, and he was excellent.”
More on the Gills;
Reaction: ‘I hugged every one of them’
