Gillingham boss Peter Taylor was thankful his side made a better second half showing against Doncaster Rovers
18:00, 13 December 2014
Gills boss Peter Taylor was delighted with his team’s second half response at Doncaster.
Taylor’s team underperformed in the opening half but a switch in formation helped the Gills click.
Luke Norris, who played as the lone striker in the second half as Gills switched from 3-5-2 to 4-5-1, netted both goals in a 2-1 win.
Taylor said: “At five to three in that dressing room we were very confident of going out there and winning. We were loud and I liked the look of them but at three o clock I didn’t think we were.
“(At the break) we reminded them of that. It’s three o’clock when you have to do it.”
The Gills managed to hang on until half time with the score goalless.
“Doncaster played some good stuff,” said Taylor.
“Of course if they score it’s a different game. The longer the game goes on, they get a touch nervous that maybe they are not going to break us down. Sometimes they are a little vulnerable to the counter attack because of it.
“(In the first half) we took too long to make moves, to give us options, and I didn’t think there was enough tempo or confidence about the performance. Second half I thought there was.”
Taylor changed his team’s shape rather than personnel at the break.
“I felt it was easier to defend against the diamond that way,” he said.
“Doncaster had too many shots in the first half. I felt we would have been more comfortable with the shape we played in the second half. We have played that shape quite a bit so it wasn’t anything new for the players.”
Norris goals put the Gills in charge before Doncaster scored a stoppage-time penalty.
“I thought Luke Norris scored two terrific goals. The first one was a striker’s goal and I am quite happy.
“I didn’t think it was a penalty. That is wrong to me and the only thing I said to the referee was that it was the longest four minutes I had ever known that can’t be right. I could run a mile in that time!”
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