GILLINGHAM manager Andy Hessenthaler has appealed to the club's supporters to help the players rediscover the formidable fortress Priestfield mentality that has eroded with three home defeats already this season.

Fans were streaming for the exits long before Saturday's final whistle as a 2-0 defeat by leaders West Bromwich Albion plunged Gillingham to 17th in the Nationwide League, Division 1.

Gillingham have now conceded 10 goals at Priestfield this season while only Derby, Bradford City and bottom club Wimbledon have leaked more at home.

A disappointed Gills boss said: "Unfortunately for Gillingham at home these days, once we go a goal down we don't have the know-how to get back. No disrespect to the crowd, but they don't have the know-how either because they don't get behind us enough when we go a goal down.

"Once West Bromwich Albion got their second goal I couldn't see any way back for us, even with 45 minutes to go, because they were too experienced and too good a side. We need the crowd to get the players' heads up so we can push on.

"These days it seems we need to score the first goal. What we really needed against West Brom was the same atmosphere that we had against West Ham."

Hessenthaler, who welcomed the free week before the club's next game at Reading on October 14, added: "We must rid ourselves of this inconsistency which has dogged us ever since we got into Division 1

"We can comfortably beat West Ham 2-0 at home, go to Stoke and win 2-0, get a decent point at Rotherham, then a poor result at Walsall. Then we perform like that against West Bromwich."

• YOUNG Gillingham centre-back Dean Beckwith has joined Nationwide Conference club Dagenham & Redbridge on a month's loan.