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Gillingham boss Justin Edinburgh happy with Shrewsbury win but wants his team to start games better

Boss Justin Edinburgh wishes his team stopped having to come from behind to win games.

While he was thrilled at getting three points off Shrewsbury, courtesy of Max Ehmer’s last-gasp strike, he was disappointed to see them start slowly once again.

It’s the fourth time in their opening seven games of the season they have come from behind to win.

Gillingham boss Justin Edinburgh Picture: Barry Goodwin
Gillingham boss Justin Edinburgh Picture: Barry Goodwin

He said: “One thing for sure is that we have to nip that in the bud. We need to stop that softness and being nice to play against.

“We are much better on the ball, we have lots more possession but we have to get back to basics in defending and a will to win. Credit to the players in the second half.

"They have shown willingness and a resilience and that is a great trait to have. But we don’t want to be relying on that every week, that’s for sure.

“Some teams go a whole season having never come from behind to win. We have it but we need to be starting games better than we are.”

The Gills conceded their first on 18 minutes and were 2-0 down after 30.

Edinburgh said: “I stand and watch and their first shot at goal goes in. We have to do better.

"I don’t want to keep reflecting to Tuesday night, because that is a cup competition, but the desire we had to keep the ball out the net, we have to replicate that in our league games.

“Last Saturday, and the first half this time, we didn’t show that resilience and character. I am not talking about getting on the ball, that is moral courage, we have that in abundance but it is about a desire to keep the ball out of the net and I think we are a little behind in where we should be in that.”

Edinburgh described Jay Emmanuel-Thomas’ second strike, to make it 2-2, as “special”.

Ehmer’s winner came with almost the last kick.

Edinburgh said: “It would have been back to back defeats but we have had seven games, five away, it’s been tough. Our squad is threadbare and we have to be mindful of that.

“It would have been a huge blow had we not got anything out of the game, we did and that is credit to the players.”

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