Manager Neil Harris praised his Gillingham side’s professional performance after seeing off Rochdale on Saturday.

The Gills were up against a side fighting for their Football League status but bossed the first 45 minutes - scoring one and missing a couple more - before adding a second goal during a more testing second half when the hosts threw caution to the wind.

• Report: Rochdale 0 Gillingham 2

Harris said: “It was a professional display against a team that are fighting for their lives and who had to beat us to try and catch us.

“We knew they would scrap and fight and we knew they could play it up to (strikers) Scott Quigley and Ian Henderson and do that well and they could also make some passes, a team that has been really unlucky to be where they are in the league.

“We knew we would have to do the basics really well in the conditions as well [it was a wet day in Lancashire]. I am really pleased with the players, their attitude and mentality, the players that came into the team were very good and lads who came out of the team were even better because they understand I have to rotate.

“We scored good goals, at key moments, first half we were excellent, we took care of the ball when we had it. Second half we turned it over too cheaply and when they threw caution to the wind and put four or five players in their front line against our back four then it became difficult on the overload.

“It was a strong display and I said to the lads we are very 45 minutes, 45 minutes we were excellent, second 45 not so good. (Against) Mansfield (we were) okay for 45-50 minutes, not the rest, Grimsby poor first half and very good second and so on. We have to change that 45-50-minute mentality to 55-60 and build it up until we become the finished article.”

The Gills are up another place to 20th, now four points clear of the bottom two and are the form team with five wins in seven and just one defeat since the January rebuild.

“I am really chuffed,” Harris said. “Normally I play it down a bit, but I am absolutely delighted, delighted with the mentality of the players and delighted with the group I have got.

“I am delighted with the fans, they are so behind us now and are seeing a team and club that they are enjoying, six points from the last two games, I have to be happy with that. We have tough fixtures infront of us coming up but we are moving in the right direction.”

Rochdale had moments in the game on Saturday, none more so than when at 1-0 they had a super opportunity to level through Abraham Odoh, only for Robbie McKenzie to make a super challenge and the Gills team move down the other end and score a second.

Close games are no surprise but the Gills now have the quality in both boxes to make a difference.

Harris said: “The games all season for us have been very close. At the moment I am looking around and I like the look of my group compared to other teams in the league and maybe that was the difference.

“I think Rochdale played well in spells, but the difference was both boxes, when we had to defend we did, Cat (Glenn Morris) had to make a finger-tip save to push onto the bar. Because the defenders are in good form they are getting out to block shots and at the other end the three or four moments we had we scored two and should have scored two or three more, that is the difference.

“If we are making five chances now I expect us to score two or three, and at the other end we have the ability to keep clean sheets.”