Gillingham manager Mark Bonner felt the officials made some major mistakes at Wimbledon, but they were not the only ones to blame for the defeat.
The Gills were denied a clear penalty in the opening 10 minutes when Conor Masterson was wrestled to the ground inside the area, and the winning goal was scored with an arm.
Report: Wimbledon 1 Gillingham 0.
Those were too crucial moments to go against the Gills in a close contest against AFC Wimbledon.
Speaking about the incidents, Bonner stated, “We should have received a penalty.
“It’s clearer than ever (at night) because it’s on television and they zoom in on it. Without a question, these are the action points they are discussing.
“We felt they were really aggressive towards us in our box, which was OK. If there is VAR (video assistant referee), the penalty is awarded but the goal is not. That is the game’s fine line to a certain extent.
“There is no attempt to see the ball.” It’s merely a headlock. He DDT’d him to the floor, with no return for us whatsoever. We felt there were a few instances like that in the first half.
“That was during a moment when we had them on the ropes for the first five or six minutes with a brilliant start, and then it twisted and turned and went their way.
“You need those moments to go your way, or one of your opportunities to go in for you when we were under pressure to score early. We had one that, if I recall correctly, just went past the post, which was also a good opportunity.
“We need to capitalise on those moments more and find more quality in execution in those situations because we’re drawing blanks too many times.”
Bonner had every reason to be disappointed when Matty Stevens scored the winning goal off a corner kick. The ball struck the player’s arm.
Bonner stated, “It’s not easy [to see] at full speed, but in the end, there was some space that he ended up in, and it’s a fairly clear line from the linesman’s perspective to see that. I would expect him to notice this, just as I would expect us to defend it better or not give it up the first time.
“We should demand that not only from our players, but also from them.
“In the end, it seems like that’s why we lost the game. There are numerous reasons why we lost the game, and we must accept full responsibility for our actions, but those moments do not help.”
Elliott Nevitt had a great opportunity to score after a sloppy pass from a Wimbledon defender let him in, but he went over the bar when a better alternative would have been to pass.
Bonner stated: “We’ve pounced on an error, which was perfect, really, in that sense, in terms of the pressure.”
“He’s got himself in a one-on-one situation, and I believe his initial reaction, as it should be for a forward, is ‘I’m bearing down on goal,’ but as time passes and the picture changes, and the custodian appears, and there’s someone on his inside shoulder in a better position, Dack or Rowe, a simple pass gives them a simple finish.
“At that point, we had great momentum in the game.
“I think we handled all of the setbacks in the game nicely. That has not always been the case, and that is where we are right now.
“We have to be a tenacious club that digs in and grits its way through games because not only do we have to make sure we pick up points and score more goals more often, but our wins right now, when we’re in this situation, are hard victories. “That is what it needs to be.”We must accept this until we are more free-flowing and confident, at which point we will be able to achieve the type of success that everyone desires.
“That was such a close game. It could’ve gone either way. They go second, and we sit 13th.
“A really balanced contest between two teams. I believe it summarises the league, and it can alter in a single moment, which might be a mistake, blunder, or terrible choice. That is where it is at the moment.
“Some of those are on the wrong side of it. They will favour us if we play with such intensity, determination, and togetherness. They will not turn in our favour if we play like we did on Boxing Day (against Colchester).”
The Gills were eager to make amends following their bad performance at Colchester, which resulted in a 2-0 setback, and the players’ effort was undeniable, even if the outcome remained the same.
Bonner stated, “We chased and seemed more likely to be the team to score the next goal in the game throughout, whether it was open play or set-plays.
“Overall emotion, really angry that we’ve lost the game, really angry the way in which we’ve lost the game but hopeful that as a minimum level that gives you a chance of winning games in a league that’s going to be open until Easter.”
