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Goalscoring defender Luke O’Neill believes Saturday’s point at Luton is a real confidence booster.
It’s timely, too, with the Gills embroiled in a 13-team fight for survival.
“We are happy and it’s a great point against a good team,” said the right-back, who netted a free-kick for Gills’ second equaliser in the 2-2 draw at Luton.
“We felt like we matched them and could have won the game in the end.
“We can take a massive amount of confidence from the game. We were brilliant, we closed down, got balls into the box and we were really good. We know we are a good team.
“We feel good and we are looking forward to next Saturday now (away to third-from-bottom side AFC Wimbledon). We will take it from there.”
O’Neill enjoyed the game at Luton, providing plenty of balls into the box, particularly in the first half.
Brandon Hanlan was the main recipient but unfortunately he couldn’t finish.
“I felt like I had put a few good balls in,” said O’Neill. “On another day maybe we could have scored from them but we got a point and did really well.
“I enjoyed it, especially first half. They didn’t know how to deal with me and I did well down that side. They had an attacking full-back but we dealt well with him.”
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Having cancelled out Luton’s opener, the Gills conceded another in the second half before O’Neill levelled it up again at 2-2.
O’Neill admits he was considering hitting the shot to the right of the goal, before firing his free-kick into the top left corner.
He said: “When I went up to take it I felt good, I was maybe going to go the other side but I went the side I usually go for and thankfully it paid off and it went in.
“Once I hit it I knew it was going in. I thought the goalkeeper was going to stand a little bit to the left of where I was going to put it but he stayed in the middle.
“I thought I would just get it around the wall and that’s the way I like it. It paid off and went in.
“Hopefully I can get another one around the box next weekend and put it into the top bin again.”
Looking ahead to that game against Wimbledon, O’Neill said: “They have picked up points and it is really tight at the bottom of the league, every point counts and we go into Saturday with the same mentality as we did against Luton.
“We just have to do our own business on the pitch and see where it leads us.
“We are upbeat. We know we were unlucky not to have won Saturday’s game and are a little disappointed in that aspect, but there were so many positive points in the game which we can take onto next Saturday.”
