Saunders: We deserved to lose

Dean Saunders admitted his Crawley side got what they deserved as a 2-1 home defeat against Gillingham.

A late header from Jermaine McGlashan gave the Gills their first win in five games after skipper Izale McLeod scored for the fourth match running to cancel out a first-half opener from Bradley Dack. Crawley had previously won three games in succession to climb out of the bottom four, but manager Saunders felt this was their worst display in terms of attacking play since he took charge just after Christmas. "Gillingham deserved to win and it was the worst we've played since I've been here in terms of attempts on goal," said the former Wales and Liverpool star: "All round it was not us, but hopefully it is a reality check with seven games to go and not three. "I tried to emphasise how important this game was but we just didn't perform." Saunders hopes that the defeat can serve as a "kick up the backside" to his team and has set them a target of taking four points from their next two games against Crewe and Oldham. "We've got to try and win one of our next two games, and four points from them will be what we need," added the Welshman: Gillingham boss Justin Edinburgh refused to concede that his men are now safe despite going past 50 points, and at the same time played down any hope of a late play-off challenge with seven games remaining. The Gills are five points behind sixth-placed Rochdale, and Edinburgh said: "Games are running out .You have to keep cracking on and we must push ourselves with two games in quick succession. "In the position we are in we must try and win as many games between now and the end of the season." Edinburgh felt that his team's possession in the first half was as good as any they have shown since he took over in February. "I am really pleased with his performance; we were as big a threat as we were some five or six games ago," added the former Spurs defender. "Our possession in the first half was as good as it has been since I've been at the club. "Crawley are a physical side and they had a spell after they scored but we saw it out. "It was a tough game and we are delighted to give our 1,000 travelling supporters something to cheer about. We've sent them home very happy. They were as good as I've seen since I have been here."