Gillingham didn’t have enough quality where it mattered on Saturday, boss Steve Lovell admitted.

His team had more shots than visitors Rochdale – 16 to 10 – and twice as many corners but couldn’t make their superiority count.

The best chance to win the game fell to Preston loanee Graham Burke but he fired over from in front of goal.

“Graham should have had two,” Lovell said. “The one that he came sliding onto from a great ball from Leo (Da Silva Lopes), he has to score. I know he is reaching but he’s put it over the bar.

“It was one of those games where you just thought it wasn’t going to fall for us, despite all the possession we had.

“We tested the keeper from crosses and good balls into the box but we’re not getting people across the keeper.

“We work all week on finishing and getting across the goalkeeper and how many times did crosses come in and the keeper picked it up?

“You can do all you want during the week, regarding your forwards and midfielders getting into areas and, to be fair, Graham got into two good areas second half and perhaps should have scored two.

"But apart from that we didn’t have enough quality in the box to finish it off.

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“We have had that (quality) in the last few weeks. It happens and we will keep doing what we’re doing.”

Lovell praised front-man Brandon Hanlan once more as he caused Rochdale plenty of problems.

“I thought was tremendous again,” noted Lovell. “He is a strong boy, he is quick, he has goals in him and he is still young.

“Again, he ran them ragged. That’s the kind of players we want here.”

Despite knocking Burke’s finishing, Lovell praised his team qualities, adding: “Leo again did all right, not one of his better games, but Graham (Burke) brings us together.

"Some people might say he doesn’t do this and that but he is intelligent on the ball and uses it well.”

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