by Luke Cawdell

Andy Hessenthaler admitted too many of his players were off their game as his Gillingham team were outplayed on home soil.

Barnet gave their survival hopes a major shot in the arm but left Gills manager Hessenthaler scratching his head as to why his team failed so badly.

Hessenthaler said: "Football is crazy and it can be so unpredictable. We went 16 games unbeaten, with two losses in 26 and we fall down. Where did that came from?

"Looking at the game we weren't at it – simple as that. We were too deep as a group, units too far away from each other and the game was too stretched. We had too many players off their game.

"There were only a few who came out with credit. Jack Payne was exceptional and I thought Mark Bentley came on and had a right go.

"There was Andy Barcham and Luke Rooney tried very hard in the first half. Other than that there were not too many more."

The defeat was Gillingham first since losing at home to Champions-in-waiting Chesterfield at home in January.

"It's a shame the run has ended at this stage," said Hessenthaler, who saw his side slip outside of the play-off positions on goal-difference.

"I wanted to go all the way through (to the end of the season) without getting beat because that looked like being the case. We looked hard to play against.

"I can't digest where (Saturday's loss) came from and everyone was miffed.

"The players know that wasn't acceptable. You can't get to this stage, the critical stage, and put one of those performance in."

Gillingham conceded two penalties in quick-succession in the second half. The first from Matt Lawrence and the second by Josh Gowling. It was the latter that annoyed the Gills boss.

"I don't know what Josh was doing," he said.

"He was climbing all over him. For the first one I don't know, it popped out, Matt has gone in there and whether he made a lot of contact I don't know because I didn't see it that well.”

The Gills have to bounce back quickly as they face Rotherham on Monday – a team just as desperate for points to make the end of season play-offs.

"I will probably sit there until midnight trying to clear my mind and to try and pick the right team for Monday because that's my job," Hessenthaler said.

"You have to bounce the team back and pick a team that is going to get a result at Rotherham."