Midfielder Charlie Lee believes Gillingham were punished for not forcing their own game on Shrewsbury in Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Greenhous Meadow.

The Gills conceded a goal in each half to slip to their eighth defeat of the season, which leaves them 10 points behind the automatic promotion places in League 2.

A disappointed Lee said: “We’ve let ourselves down. We were waiting for something to happen and something to kick-start us (on Saturday). When that happens you need to force it and someone has to get on the ball and get it going.

“Nobody did that and that’s something we need to work on. Too many of us didn’t turn up and we have to put that right.”

Lee picked up his 12th booking of the season against Shrewsbury. He has already missed three games through suspension this season and knows it’s not a good record.

He said: “I said to the referee before the game ‘please don’t book me, because when I get to 15 I will get myself in trouble (with the FA)’.

“I have to be careful now because it’s not going to do me any favours and I don’t want to be missing games.

“It doesn’t help when people are suspended. It is sloppy and stupid from me and I need to sort myself out.”