Steve Lovell is hoping the fun factor has returned for the Gills.

Boss Lovell said after the recent 3-0 home defeat to Walsall that his players looked scared stiff and that some of them weren’t enjoying it.

It was something he was keen to see change and on Tuesday night, for the visit of Accrington, he encouraged his squad to relax and enjoy themselves.

Lovell said: “I said to them before the game, ‘Just go out and enjoy it. I tell you every week to enjoy it, but I don’t think some of you do, you put yourself under too much pressure. It is a game of football, go out and express yourself and go out and enjoy playing’.

“I was really pleased because they did that, they really enjoyed it. They were laughing and joking throughout the game and that is all I have ever known in football.

“People sometimes get too cramped up and that stops your ability coming out.

“If you are relaxed and happy within yourself it is easy for you to then go out and perform. We did that, it was a really good atmosphere at the end of the game.

“Although they were disappointed we hadn’t won, there was a sense of this being a start of something.”

While the players could relax, Lovell also insisted they aren’t stressing over league positions. The midweek draw keeps the Gills a point above the League 1 drop zone.

“We have been in this position before and we know what needs to be done,” he said.

“We are not nervous, you could see the boys performed well, and sometimes it is hard when you are down towards the bottom of the table and you are playing at home. You tend to go into your shell, but they didn’t.

“They were brave and played as if they were a team safe.”