SIMON Davies admitted his Blues players were “devastated” by Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Gillingham – because they knew they had been the better side.

City’s latest setback – their eighth match without a win – was particularly hard to take for Davies and his patched-up team.

The Gills were on the back foot for most of the afternoon but snatched the points courtesy of two goals inside three second-half minutes.

The performance was a marked improvement on last Tuesday’s 6-1 thrashing at Rochdale – but the Blues were still left empty-handed.

Davies said: “The lads are absolutely devastated in the dressing room. I asked for a reaction from the other night when I thought we were lacklustre and they gave it me and more.

“The goals were silly ones to give away and we need to be a bit cuter in each box, but I can’t ask for any more off the lads. They gave me everything and I’m proud of them.”

Even Gillingham’s coaching staff were surprised to emerge from the game with three points, such was City’s superiority for the first 70 minutes. Quickfire goals by Andy Barcham (71) and Leigh Mills (74) handed the Gills the win.

Davies said: “I spoke to their staff at the end of the game and they don’t know how they won that game. It happens. When things are going well, you win games like that. I thought we dominated from start to near on finish. There was a five-minute spell when they scored two goals and that’s killed us.”

Davies, who was unable to call on a clutch of first-team players due to injury and suspension, added: “The result might suggest to someone who didn’t watch the game that it was par for the course, but we were the better team.

“I’m proud of every one of them and I’m just upset and gutted for myself and the lads that we didn’t get a point or three out of the game.

“It’s a sickener to concede goals and lose like we did.”