Ronnie's reaction: Gills 2-1 Huddersfield

Last updated : 14 August 2006 By Simon Head

Jepson: happy with opening day win
Ronnie on… The Huddersfield game

“I was pleased with that. I thought we started off very well and was a bit disappointed with the way that we went in at half-time with a 0-0. I thought some of our players maybe deserved a goal up to then. The lads went out there and scored two very good goals. What happens in games then is that they don't know whether to stick or twist. We went on our back foot a little bit, which is a bit disappointing. It was the first game of the season and maybe a little bit of nerves with our defending when we went 2-0 up. I wanted them to carry on and get a third goal.


"If we had got a third, we would have made it a lot easier for ourselves. Huddersfield came here and threw a lot into the box with balls, crosses and throws, and what with their height with the likes of McIntosh, Booth and Abbott. I thought we coped with them well and maybe we could've nicked another at the end. We worked extremely hard today but, overall, I am not getting too carried away. I'm just happy to get three points against a really good side."



Ronnie on… Matty Jarvis

"We never exploited it in the first half and get the ball out to Matty. Their right-back was bang onto him. We had a little chat at half-time and in the second-half, when he was in a one-on-one situation, there was space there and you would back Matty Jarvis eight times out of ten."



Ronnie on… Dean McDonald

"Little Mac has come in, and some people are not too sure about him, and I have got a lot of faith in the boy. I know that what he has done today, he can do more of that and there is room for improvement there. The movement was also good from a few others.”



Ronnie on… Gary Mulligan

"I thought Gary Mulligan had horses lungs today. His fitness levels were there at the end and he nearly bunged one over the line. He deserved a goal today. When you are playing with lads like that up front, if he can start adding goals to his game, then that will be a bonus.”



Ronnie on…The Defence

"I was very pleased with the defence too. Juppy has come in there and added a bit of height. I think Brent and Coxy work well together. Kelvin Jack has got a tremendous voice back there and he is quite big. He gives us that voice there. It does bode well for the future though and we weren't that bad at all. I thought they were all good and nothing got through until a lapse of concentration where they got caught with a free-kick and it has gone inside Jupp and we were very much on the back foot at that stage.”



Ronnie on… Duncan Jupp

"I played against Jupp and you know what you are going to get week in and week out. He gives us stability and he is an unbelievable professional to work with as well. He also brings a lot to the changing room and not just what is out on the pitch."



Ronnie on… Facing Brighton on Tuesday

"I know it is an old cliché but we just take each game as it comes. We are in tomorrow morning and we will work on it. We'll take a look at some reports of the Brighton game today and work on that again on Monday. Hopefully we have put that ghost of not winning away behind us. We went to Swansea and Southend and won there so we done quite well away from home in the latter end. Hopefully we can start that run a little bit earlier this year.


"Brighton have just come down from the Championship so they may have that little bit more quality there, so it will be a good test for our lads on Tuesday. We have one or two with knocks so we will assess them tomorrow morning but Matty Jarvis just had a bit of cramp towards the end, I think he had taken a bit too much water on board during the game. Today, it was just nice for me to get a good start."



Ronnie on… Gills' prospects this season

"I think we're about 33/1 to win the league. Everybody knows what we are up against with the budget, this, that and the other. We have got a togetherness and a willingness to be organised, and it can take you a long way at times."