Gillingham suffered their first league defeat at the weekend but boss Steve Lovell isn’t concerned.

He saw enough in the performance on Saturday to keep him happy.

Lovell’s only real disappointment was with the way the Gills started at Walsall, losing 2-1.

“It’s a long season and I am not too disheartened,” he said.

“I’m just disappointed with the result, because the performance was there for everyone to see.

“I am happy with the boys, the way they are performing, I don’t want to get too downbeat about it.

“We have lost a game at Walsall and perhaps a game we should have got something from.

“If we had got absolutely hammered and never looked like doing anything I would be a bit worried but I am looking forward to Wednesday (at home to Sunderland).

“We will hopefully get something out of the game.”

The Gills made a game of it at Walsall, after conceding early. The defeat followed wins at Accrington and Burton in their opening League 1 fixtures.

Lovell said: “We play some good stuff and we create things, but at times you are not going to stick them away.

“Six points from three games is fine but I am just disappointed not to get something because I felt our second half performance deserved it.

“We can’t be two goals down, it is a long way to come back, but we will learn from it.”

Sunderland are the visitors to Priestfield on Wednesday, a team who were playing Premier League football two seasons ago. They are in League 1 after back-to-back relegations.

Despite their recent woes, Sunderland are favourites for promotion from League 1 and it’s a challenge Lovell is certainly relishing.

He said: “It’s another experience for our boys and definitely a challenge for us, we’re looking forward to it.

“We will learn from Saturday’s game and hopefully on Wednesday we will start bright, like we have in the first three games of the season.

“It’s a big game and we are all looking forward to it but it’s just another game and there are the same three points on offer, like any other.

“I concentrate on us. Monday and Tuesday we will analyse (Saturday’s game), show the boys a few clips of the first 10-15 minutes, show them what they did and tell them it wasn’t good enough."

Read the full story in Monday's Medway Messenger