Keeper Stuart Nelson hopes Saturday’s blow proves helpful in the long run.

The Gills played most of the game with 10 men against League 1 leaders Burton and

went down 3-0

.

It was a disappointing day but Nelson hopes they learn from it.

“There was no lack of effort and the boys are positive, they are young and they will learn from it,” said Nelson.

“We will go down to 10 men again, it’s inevitable, and now that young group will have that experience of what it will be like with 10 men.

“We need to take that experience, look forward, turn it into a positive and use it next time.
If it does happen again the boys can take it on the chin a lot easier.”

Nelson picked up the sponsors’ man-of-the-match award after a busy day against Burton.

Two of the goals came in the final stages of a game made tougher following Doug Loft’s first-half dismissal.

It was Gillingham’s first home league defeat of the season.

“They got the two late goals and that didn’t tell the full story, and that’s disappointing,” said the keeper.

“They scored their second late in the game while we were pushing to get a goal.

“We had a good record at Priestfield that we wanted to protect and in the second half, with
the 10 men, we changed our tactics and tried to get a positive result.

“We were in the game for quite a long time.”

Gillingham conceded the second goal in the last minute and a third in stoppage time.

“Once the second goal went in it took the stuffing out of us a bit,” said Nelson.

“It flatters them with the result and doesn’t really tell a tale but up until that second goal we were right in the game, creating chances.

“You always feel we are going to get a goal, because that is what we are about. We do
dig deep and find an extra yard.”