Manager Neil Harris admitted it was a joke of a goal to concede on Boxing Day as some of his Gillingham team “melted” under the pressure.

It was a bottom of the table clash at Priestfield that the Gills lost 1-0, conceding a 26th minute goal that trickled into the net.

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“There was nothing in the game was there?,” said Gills boss Harris. “A massive lack of quality, tension, nerves, composure, lacked all of it didn’t it? Players have to do better than that. (They are a) great group of lads, nice lads, but in terms of winning football matches, horrific. Don’t play like that and concede a goal like that, it’s a joke.

“I can’t be more disappointed. I pick the team, I pick from the players who are in the building that are fit, that is all I can do until January [when the transfer window opens].

“Did Colchester deserve to win the game? No. Did we? Probably not. It was a scrappy, crappy game wasn’t it?

“If you could sum up our season then that (goal) would be it wouldn’t it? We gave the ball away cheaply, it is not a huge danger, we still have a spare player behind the ball, three versus four situation, and the ball rolls in the goal, I am not even sure it hits the back of the net.

“We don’t get anything at the other end. That sums it up and that is why we need change.”

The Gills have a new owner and with added funds to his budget, Harris will have the opportunity to replace his under-performers.

Harris said: “I expected a better performance from my players than that, but maybe some of them fear change.

“I think everyone would have seen the takeover and when that happens in a changing room, I have been there, you either rise with it or you fall away because you know change is afoot, it is a new era at the football club, a new dawn, and today the players didn’t get the memo to step up. Some did, some were really good, some absolutely melted.

“People keep asking me why we have done so well in the cups. (It’s) because there is no pressure is there? You go out and play and if you get through you get through and if you don’t you don’t, players have been alright in that, but as soon as there is any pressure and it becomes a league game, absolutely melt.”

Robbie McKenzie - back from injury - and young midfielder Dom Jefferies were two players Harris mentioned that had played well.

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Gills didn’t get the big calls against Colchester, with a couple of penalty claims ignored. Harris was adamant a foul on Jordan Green should have been a penalty and there were others too, but referee Sam Purkiss gave them nothing.

Harris spoke to the official post-match and said: “Jordan Green gets pulled down in the box in the second phase from a corner and I just needed to know what his thought was, he was honest enough to say he thought he got it wrong. I have had it from two angles and hindsight is a wonderful thing, I know he has got it wrong, they are massive moments that swing games of football.

“It doesn’t help me now, I didn’t raise my voice, I am not in trouble, I didn’t swear at him, I just wanted to get his thoughts as to why it wasn’t a penalty. He can only be man enough and brave enough to say he might have got it wrong, I do appreciate and respect that, but when you are at the bottom of the league in a tight game like that, those decisions need to be correct.