Gills manager Martin Allen felt Adebayo Akinfenwa’s public show of dissatisfaction against Crawley was understandable.

The 31-year-old striker was substituted half an hour into the game as Gills manager Allen reshuffled his team.

Akinfenwa’s response was to storm down the tunnel, ignoring Allen’s offer of a handshake.

Allen said: “I don’t blame him. I wouldn’t have liked it had I been taken off after half an hour either. He was disappointed and that was understandable.

He said: “I had to change it. They were getting some good switches of play and we needed some penetration and an outlet.

“I fully understand he wasn’t happy. I took him aside and told him it wasn’t something I liked doing but they were getting through us too easily.

“We had Westy out wide and so had another central midfield player to stop them playing through us. It was the right decision.

Akinfenwa tweeted after the match: “Life has a way of testing u, sometimes when u least expect it.”