Stimson hails hard-fought point

Stimson is hoping to get his side back into League One this season

Gillingham manager Mark Stimson has praised his side's gritty performance after they held in-form Rochdale 1-1.

Striker Simeon Jackson scored his eighth goal of the season in the 18th minute, but Rochdale levelled in the second half through Adam Le Fondre.

Stimson told BBC Radio Kent: "It was quite bruising and surprisingly really.

"I've got one centre-half with a nasty couple of stud marks across his knee cap and the other with a tooth just about hanging in his mouth."

Stimson added: "Two points dropped or a point gained? We were at home and we want to win every game and if you don't win them, the next best is a draw so we'll take that."

The Gills boss also revealed that his leading scorer, Jackson, had missed training due to fatigue, after returning from Jamaica, where he had been on international duty with Canada.

"It was important he got a game.

"He missed the start of training [on Monday] because his body clock is all over the shop.

"He was late for training and will have to pay his fine but it was important he got out there, got in 90 minutes and scored a good goal."