Justin Edinburgh was delighted with a point at Scunthorpe.

The Gills manager accepted his team weren’t at their best but praised their fighting spirit.

He said: “We had to ride our luck at times but we needed that, to get back on track and build a foundation, it was a well-earned point.

“I am delighted because the players showed a lot of character after some disappointing results and it was good to get back to keeping clean sheets.

I was well pleased with it.”

The Gills had lost their previous three going into the game.

Edinburgh said: “We have had a blip and it was hard because as a group we haven’t tasted that and this group are learning on their feet, which is a difficult thing to do.

“They have really shown a true test of character and you need performances like that.

“It wasn’t pretty and we didn’t play particularly well but what we did do was put our bodies on the line for one another and that was supported by a really good goalkeeping performance.”

With John Egan and Bradley Dack missing, Edinburgh was also without right-back Ryan Jackson on Saturday, as he suffered a recurrence of his kne injury.

Adam Chicksen was missing through illness.

He said: “With the run of injuries we are getting right now, there is chopping and changing and it has been difficult.

“We will know that when we come out of these little dips we will be better for it and showing the character they have done will stand them in good stead.

“We are having a bad run of injuries but I would never hide behind it.

“Of course it is weakening us, you are talking about some real key top players not being able to play.

“We have been without Cody McDonald for a while, but the three we are missing in Egan, Jackson and Dack have been key and pivotal to what we have done this season so it has been tough.”