Gareth Ainsworth grateful for 'kick up the backside' after Luton Town defeat
13.08.26, 15:15 Updated 13.08.26, 19:08
Simon Head
Gillingham's Carabao Cup defeat to Luton Town gave everyone at Gillingham a well-timed kick up the backside, according to Gills boss Gareth Ainsworth.
After a solid pre-season that saw Ainsworth and his coaching staff bring in more than a dozen new faces, Gillingham's first competitive game of the season saw them well beaten as they were dominated by League One contenders Luton Town in the first round of the EFL Cup at Priestfield.
On the face of it, losing to a side with a higher pedigree isn't too much to be upset about, but it was the manner of the defeat that left Ainsworth less than impressed at full-time last weekend. And, on reflection, he's grateful that the humbling happened before the EFL season got underway.
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Simon Head is the founding editor of Gills 365. A veteran sports journalist and editor with more than 25 years in the industry, he has written for major news outlets, broadcasters and sports organisations around the world. Simon is a longtime Gillingham season ticket holder, and has been a regular at Priestfield since the mid-1990s.