Gillingham boss Gareth Ainsworth hailed the value of experience after his side’s weekend win at Newport.

Ainsworth, speaking after the 3-1 win in south Wales, feels his senior players are setting the tone for the whole squad.

He added Sam Vokes and Garath McCleary to his squad in the summer while keeping the likes of Bradley Dack and Glenn Morris after handing them new deals.

“We’ve got youngsters in this team who are going to go on to big things.” Ainsworth said.

"Sam Gale’s got a hell of a future ahead of him, Aaron Rowe, people like that, some brilliant, brilliant players. Josh Andrews, gets battered, pulled from pillar to post. Elliot Nevitt running around.

“You have to follow. It's just unbelievable. When the experienced players are on the pitch doing it, these youngsters go, ‘This is it. This is our identity. This is what we have to do.’

"There's probably a few boys in this group who didn't know they had that in them.

“The experienced boys were brought in and for a reason, I thought the squad needed some leaders.

"You can’t not follow once the rest of your team does it, once you're Sam Vokes and you're Bradley Dacks and you're Jonny Williams and you're Gareth McCleary (are doing it).”

For Ainsworth, it’s the seasoned campaigners who show the way and inspire the next generation.

One of those leaders, Bradley Dack, shone brightest with a brace. "What a day for Bradley Dack,” he said.

“He scored two goals in the game that beats the record and Glenn Morris saves a penalty. Those two, they're just great, great characters."

And in goal, Ainsworth pointed again to the value of a trusted veteran. "Keepers do that,” he said. “We've had some moments where opposition keepers have pulled worldies off and Glenn has pulled a great save.

“He’s been phenomenal for me, Glenn. When I talk about experience, we don't even realise he's in his 40s.

“Glenn Morris and Bradley Dack are there afterwards carrying ice buckets (back to the coach). That's what we've got here. You don't see many teams doing that. That's my boys and I'm proud of them.”

The manager believes Newport will be a tough side for others, but on this occasion it was the Gills’ old heads who made the difference.

He added: "This team will take people, they'll take points off people at Newport.

“They'll get it together. They’ve got a good manager, a good way of playing. But it wasn't (on Saturday) and I'm glad about that."

Have you signed up for our weekly Gills newsletter? Get all the latest from Priestfield delivered to your inbox every Monday here