Source: PA
Ward stunned by nature of defeat
Stockport caretaker boss Peter Ward was shell-shocked following his side`s emphatic 5-1 defeat to Gillingham in his first game since taking over from Paul Simpson.
Strikes from Cody McDonald and Andy Barcham put the visitors two goals to the good before the former notched his side's third.
Ishmel Demontagnac pulled one back for the managerless Hatters but it was mere consolation and Curtis Weston restored Gillingham's three-goal cushion before McDonald claimed his hat-trick to seal the rout.
Ward said: "Sometimes I have to look at the team and see if the tactics were right. We were a little bit naive at times. Players were trying to make things happen when we were behind.
"You have to be patient in a game and wait to get a foothold in the game but we tried too hard to impress everybody. It shows what a lot of hard work we've got to do to turn this round.
"We had just an hour and a half on Friday with the new players but that's no excuse. The players needed that first game but it's just unfortunate it came against a Gillingham team that is bang in form."
