Gillingham manager Pennock makes case for defence ahead of Port Vale game

Gillingham manager Ady Pennock says his side need to plug their leaky defence if they are to start climbing the League One table.

He was speaking ahead of his side’s game against Port Vale at Priestfield on Saturday.

The former Forest Green boss has yet to pick up a win in his four games in charge of the Gills, with three draws, including two away at promotion contenders Sheffield United and Bradford City, following a 1-0 defeat at Oldham.

The 45-year-old will be hoping for a first win against a Vale side who sit 19th in the table, two places below the Gills, after just one win in their last 10 league games.

“If you keep conceding goals, like last week (a 2-2 draw at Bradford) we conceded two, we’ve got to score three away from home.

“Clean sheets will be very, very important, and it’s what we’ve been working on.

Pennock said his squad have to now put their defensive work on the training ground into practice.

“It’s got to come from the players now,” he explained. “They’ve got to throw their bodies on the line like they have done the last two or three weeks.”

“I don’t want any excuses, I’ll be honest with you.”

“It’s all about us winning games and that’s what we’ve got to start doing.”

Pennock also said it “has been a good week” for his side after their 3-1 friendly win over Belgian side Patro Eisden on Tuesday.

Josh Parker, Jay Emmanuel-Thomas and trialist Ollie Muldoon were on target for the hosts.

“We had a good run out on Tuesday, everybody’s come through that unscathed.

“It was a proper game, which was exactly what I wanted.”

Midfielder Scott Wagstaff said recent performances show the players have welcomed the changes Pennock has brought to the club since he replaced Justin Edinburgh in January.

“It’s obviously going to take a while to get used to the new gaffer but I think we’ve really bought into what he’s about.

“We are a lot more organised and we’ve looked good in games.

“I think the results will start to show that now.”
The manager, players and fans will all need to play their part at the start of a big week for the Gills as they attempt to pull away from the relegation zone.

Saturday’s game against Port Vale is followed by a midweek welcome of Chesterfield before they travel to struggling Coventry, before another home game against AFC Wimbledon the following Tuesday.