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Gillingham manager Steve Lovell wants two more points to be sure of League 1 safety

07:46, 09 April 2018

updated: 10:23, 09 April 2018

Gillingham reached the magic 50-point mark at the weekend but boss Steve Lovell wants a few more, just in case.

The Gills halted a three-game losing streak on Saturday with a drab goalless home draw against Doncaster.

It took Gills’ points tally to 50, Lovell’s first aim after taking charge mid-season.

Gills debutant Rhys Murphy in action against Doncaster on Saturday. Picture: Andy Jones
Gills debutant Rhys Murphy in action against Doncaster on Saturday. Picture: Andy Jones

Lovell said: “That was our aim, to get to 50 points-plus at the start when we took over. We have got there, but we have six more games to go.

“We want to finish on a high and with the hard work the boys have done to get into this position, we don’t want it to fizzle out now.

“We will be training hard and working hard because we have tough games coming up. We will be putting in the effort to get us further up the league.”

Notts County and Crawley were both relegated with 50 points in the 2014/15 season but the Gills still have six games left to add to their points total.

The Gills are eight points clear of the bottom four.

“To be absolutely sure, 52 points will get you there,” added Lovell, who took over with the Gills second from bottom.

“The 50-point mark is alright so long as nobody else gets to 51-52, we still have a bit of work to do to make sure, two more points.

“It would have been lovely to get three on Saturday and for that to be it.”

Saturday’s game against fellow mid-table side Doncaster saw the sides record just three shots on target between them.

“It was a poor spectacle,” said Lovell. “I feel sorry for the people watching the game.”

Lovell’s side host league leaders Blackburn tomorrow (Tuesday) night.

The Gills have struggled to create many goalscoring opportunities in their last three games but the hard work doesn’t stop now.

He insisted: “You keep training hard and working on the things we have done all year. Just because we are coming to the end of the season things don’t change but personnel might.

“We were missing five players out of the team (on Saturday) that has got us into this position.”

Read more from Gills boss Steve Lovell in Monday's Medway Messenger

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