Gillingham boss Neil Harris said Carlisle United fans provoked a response from the Blues – and his own side failed to deal with it.

The visiting manager said half-time criticism from the Blue Army fired up Paul Simpson’s side for the crucial spell early in the second half.

It resulted in Jon Mellish’s winning goal as Carlisle beat the goal-shy Gills 1-0 at Brunton Park.

And Harris, whose side have failed to score in five games in all competitions, said that was the crucial spell.

READ MORE: Carlisle United manager Paul Simpson's reaction to the 1-0 win over Gillingham

“[In the first half] we were the team in the ascendency, we were the better team, but we knew there would be a reaction,” Harris told KentOnline.

“We warned the players because the [home] fans got on their backs at half time. We knew there would be a response.

“You have to let the leadership take over [in that situation]. You have to let the mind of the players take over, so they say, ‘Right, how do we manage this game now?’

“On the pitch I had Glenn Morris, Max Ehmer, Stuart O’Keefe, Ben Reeves, Mikael Mandron, Jordan Green is not a kid, Cheye Alexander, David Tutonda…there was experience on the pitch to manage it.

“Sometimes you have to say ‘well done’ to the opponent. They played on the front foot and all they did was get the ball forward quickly…they didn’t cut us open with any clever play, and you have to stand up to it and manage the situation.

“If we had managed it better and not conceded a really soft goal then the game finishes 0-0 or we go and nick it.

“For the first 15 minutes [of the second half] we didn’t live with their tempo. We have to be better as a group – they ran forward quicker than us, were more aggressive against us, we just have to deal with that situation through better game management.”

Harris felt a draw was the least his side should have got out of the game.

But they failed to take their best chances through subs Scott Kashket and Lewis Walker.

“Carlisle had that bit of luck where the ball ricochets into the back of the net and we certainly aren’t getting that at the moment,” added Harris, whose side are fourth bottom of the fledgling League Two table.

“I will watch it back and see a scrappy League Two game, where we probably play the best football but we have lost and ultimately we have come out on the wrong side of a result that at the very worst should be a 0-0.”