Ady Pennock knows he still has work to do with his defence.

The Gills head coach, a former defender himself, admitted they were sloppy against Shrewsbury at the weekend.

Pennock is three games into his rein and awaiting his first clean sheet.

He said: “I thought we were sloppy in defence, especially second half. We need to be tighter. That is what we will be working on.”

Gillingham’s goal on Saturday came from Deji Oshilaja while fellow centre-back Max Ehmer hit the post late on.

Both are a goal threat but it’s defending that Pennock wants them to get right.

He said: “I would like them to be more solid at the back. They are defenders at the end of the day and they should be defenders at the start.

“It is always a bonus if they score, don’t get me wrong, if they score five or six you will be in a good place. Deji took his goal very well and he is a gifted boy. I don’t know what he was doing up there in the first place – but he took it very well!”

Bradley Garmston made a sooner-than-expected return for the Gills. Pennock was ready to be patient with the 23-year-old, who twice suffered hamstring injuries as he recovered from a dislocated knee-cap injury.

Garmston was pencilled in for a practice game during this week but proved that he was ready.

Pennock said: “I said in the week that I wanted to wait but in training he was nice and bright and he hasn’t felt anything in his hamstrings."