Gillingham boss Mark Stimson has urged his players to play the kind of football he knows they’re capable of.

Stimson was left frustrated at his team’s failure to pass the ball properly at Bristol Rovers on Saturday and feels that was part of the reason they lost.

The 2-1 defeat stretched Gillingham’s miserable away run without a win to nine games. The Gills have collected just one point on the road all season – the worst record in League 1.

Stimson said: "We want the players to do what we preach to them in training every day, pass the ball and talk to each other.

"We didn’t pass the ball on Saturday and how they got their second goal was by players not communicating – simple as that.

"It’s really basic stuff but when you get out on the arena that’s when you have to have the belief to do it. For some reason second half they didn’t."

The Gills have tightened things up on the road recently but that first win continues to elude them.

"It’s better than not conceding three and four but then you have to look at the type of team we’re playing," said Stimson. "Fair play to Bristol Rovers, they are up there, they are in a good position.

"We were quietly confident after two good performances and now we just have to roll our sleeves up when an away game comes around and get this win."