Gareth Ainsworth wants Gillingham to be ready after poor start against Barnet

Gareth Ainsworth has urged Gillingham hit the ground running at the start of games after it needed a superb Bradley Dack free-kick to earn a 1-1 draw with Barnet at Priestfield.

Barnet were much the better team in the first half and took a deserved lead through Callum Stead’s 17th-minute strike from Idris Kanu’s ball in.

Dack then converted a fine free-kick in first-half stoppage time and the Gills were much imp[roved after the interval but could not find a winning goal.

Ainsworth admitted he did not see Dack’s strike – the experienced midfielder’s fifth goal of the campaign.

“I missed his free kick because was coming down the stairs,” said Ainsworth, watching from the stands still after his recent heart surgery.

“But it’s a wonderful free-kick from seeing it back.

“I have got to get back in the dugout.

“We keep talking about Bradley; he is above this level without a shadow of doubt.

“We are lucky he is in such great form with his goal scoring. But we can’t keep relying on moments of magic and set pieces.

“We must carve teams apart. Barnet had a moment and they took it.”

Despite his side’s memorable equaliser, Ainsworth insisted his interval team talk did not change.

“The first half was poor for us,” he said.  “I have never seen us lose so many battles.

“We looked off it and that frustrated me. In the second half, we were the better team by far. But we can’t start games like that.

“And when we have the opportunities we have got to be more ruthless and see off the opposition, especially at home.

“So, the team talk stayed the same. I can’t gloss over it with one moment of magic.”

Barnet manager Dean Brennan rued not cashing in on their first-half dominance.

Brennan said: “We were dominant in the first 35-40 minute but we could not get a second goal or create a big enough lead.

“We deserved that and that probably cost us the three points. To be fair to their lad he scored an unbelievable free-kick.

“But it was a soft foul because the bar had been raised for fouls.

“In the second half we dug in, ran hard without creating anything ourselves. But I don’t think they created anything either, probably throughout the whole game.”

Stead’s goal was his sixth of the season to go with a booking.

“He keeps getting chances and his expected goals is extremely high this year.

“He works hard on his game but I say that to all the players – you have got work on your game.

“For me, the endeavour of the whole team and their character was really good because it is a tough place to come.

“Gareth’s teams are up and at you and they are extremely hard to play against. So, to come here and put in the performance that we did, I’m extremely proud.”