Crawley manager Scott Lindsey credited his side’s “character” after they claimed a 2-0 League Two victory over his former side Gillingham – but admitted they were still far from their best.
Will Wright and Jack Roles sealed victory for the visitors with goals either side of the break.
Lindsey revealed that he was disappointed in his side’s lack-lustre performance, despite a return to their fighting spirit following a 2-1 loss to AFC Wimbledon last time out.
“I thought we were absolutely rubbish today, if I’m honest,” said Lindsey, who played for Gills in 1994/95. “But we found a way to win the game when we didn’t play well.
“The players showed real character but the performance wasn’t reflective of how we normally play.
“I questioned their character after our last game and they showed a different side to themselves today.
“They really dug in, so I’m really pleased with that. They’re a massive three points against a good side.”
Former Gillingham man Wright fired home Town’s opener with a free-kick from the edge of the box after 24 minutes before Roles doubled the lead just two minutes after coming on in the 71st minute.
His deflected long-range effort handed Town a pivotal win and lesson for the young side according to Lindsey.
“It was a really dogged performance,” he added. “We’re quite young and inexperienced, so we’re learning as we go. That means the players can only get better, especially playing away on Boxing Day and in front of a big crowd.
“I’m really pleased to have kept a clean sheet, especially for the fans, who sang throughout the game.”
On the other side of the score, Gillingham manager Stephen Clemence expressed his concerns over his team’s lack of goalscoring abilities – with several chances not going their way at Priestfield.
With Tim Dieng and Tom Nichols both shooting wide in the opening half and Town goalkeeper Corey Addai on top form, Clemence believes that finding the back of the net has become an “Achilles heel” in recent weeks.
“I understand everybody’s frustrations and I’m just as frustrated as they are,” he said.
“We tried to change the shape today to give us more of an attacking threat and we had a number of attacking players on the pitch in the second half, but scoring goals is still our Achilles heel.
“We’ve got to stick together and work harder, because we know there’s got to be improvement.
“I felt we didn’t start the game well enough. But in the last 15 minutes of the first half we got on top of them, then we were the better team in the second half.
“We had four very good chances, but we didn’t take any of them.”
Ancelotti: 'Just a matter of time' until Mbappe breaks goal drought
Carlo Ancelotti insists "it is just a matter of time" until Kylian Mbappe breaks his goal drought, with the Real Madrid forward having failed to find the net in his last four appearances.
The former Paris Saint-Germain forward has endured a tricky start to life with Los Blancos since making the switch as a free agent.
Despite scoring eight goals in 16 appearances across all competitions, Mbappe is yet to truly catch fire at Santiago Bernabeu, where his displays have been subjected to widespread criticism.
The France forward has underperformed his season's expected goals (xG) total by 2.04, while he was left out of Les Bleus' squad for their recent Nations League matches after going over 400 minutes without scoring.
Mbappe is averaging a goal every 166 minutes in all competitions this term, compared to one every 88 minutes in his final campaign with PSG, but Ancelotti is confident the tables will turn.
"It happens to all great strikers," the Italian told reporters ahead of Madrid's clash with Leganes on Sunday. "He can get frustrated, but that's not his case. I see him motivated and happy to train with his team-mates.
"Sooner or later, he will break that streak of games in which he hasn't scored goals. Tomorrow, he will have a great game because it is just a matter of time. He has incredible quality and, sooner or later, he will show it."
Ancelotti also addressed suggestions Mbappe should be switched from the central attacking position to the left wing, in place of top scorer Vinicius Junior.
"I don't think Kylian has ever asked me for a position on the pitch, everyone wants to start in the starting 11," Los Blancos' head coach added. "But Mbappe and Vinicius don't have a fixed position on the pitch. It all depends on the match."
Man United could be without Toone until new year, says Skinner
Marc Skinner revealed that Manchester United could be without midfielder Ella Toone until the new year after she picked up a calf injury in training.
Toone has featured in five games in the Women's Super League this season, but is yet to register a goal or an assist so far this term.
The 25-year-old has missed United's last two games and was not selected in Sarina Wiegman's England squad for their upcoming friendlies against the United States and Switzerland.
She had previously appeared in a staggering 96 straight matches before missing United's WSL showdown with Leicester City last weekend.
But ahead of the Red Devils' meeting with league leaders Chelsea on Sunday, Skinner confirmed they would be without Toone for not only that game, but for the foreseeable future.
"We have three games [after the international break and before Christmas]. There's always the hope, but I think you balance and you go, 'right, if we can get her back, we get her back'," Skinner said.
"But we're just not going to rush her in this moment because it's a calf injury, it's your running mechanism. If we injure the running mechanism, it takes longer.
"So ideally we'd like her back for those games afterwards.
"The projection is she misses this game [Chelsea], she misses the international window, probably misses the first game after that, and then we'll see from there.
"But because it is such a short block of only three games, we'll assess whether it's worth that or actually resetting to come back after Christmas."
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