KEEPER Kenny Arthur did everything he could to make boss John Coleman wear a kilt - but in the end the Reds were blown away by one strike.

The Scottish keeper pulled off a number of stunning saves to keep out a vibrant Gillingham side until Dennis Oli pounced 15 minutes from time.

It meant Coleman didn’t have to fulfil a bet of wearing a kilt at the next game as he had promised Arthur he would if he kept three clean sheets on the bounce.

But, in truth, it was a scoreline which flattered the Reds.

It was a rearguard action for most of the game as Mark Stimson’s side looked for their first home goal and win of the season while Coleman admitted it was back to the drawing board for his side who failed to shine on the hottest of days.

"They deserved to win. We have built our game on retaining possession but we did not do it," he said.

"We could not hurt them and it meant they got their tails up, the crowd got behind them and we buckled at the wrong time.

"We turned the ball over to the them cheaply, our delivery was poor and too many of our players lost their physical battles.

"They were the best side we have played this season and, from the chances they had, if they hadn’t won it would have been harsh on them.

"I know we can come here and compete with sides like that but we didn’t play like we can.

"Our keeper has had to make six or seven top class saves which means we aren’t defending well.

"If you come under sustained pressure like that we will lose more heavily than that. We have got to be a threat at the other end."

Stanley’s defence did do well to restrict it to one goal although the Gills strikers put Stimson through agony by not converting their plentiful chances.

Midway through the second half, one Gillingham reporter asked: "How is this still 0-0?" and, if Stanley had held on for a point, it would have been an injustice with the ex- League One side so much on top.

From the off, the front pairing of the tall Mark McCammon and the pacey Simeon Jackson caused problems while Spurs loan winger Charlie Daniels looks a hot prospect.

In reply, the Reds could not get going up front with little service to Paul Mullin and Jamie Clarke who never tested keeper Simon Royce.

In fact the Reds didn’t force a corner until the 86th minute which shows how they struggled to press the Gills’ backline.

And it must have been frustrating for Coleman as it was the same side who had done so well against Macclesfield - and got Stanley up to seventh in the league.

It was all the Gills in the early stages with star man Arthur scooping the ball off the line to keep out the tall McCammon as early as the ninth minute.

Jackson fired wide after shrugging off Phil Edwards and, every time Gillingham charged forward, the crowd got behind them.

Andy Croft’s effort was deflected for a corner; McCammon had a free header but it was down and over while Jackson went on a run from the half-way line which was finally halted by Edwards just before half-time.

They were all clear-cut while Stanley’s were half-chances before the break. Jimmy Ryan appealed for a penalty for handball when his free kick from 35 yards hit the body of Barry Fuller but any pleas were brushed aside.

Then Peter Cavanagh raced into the area on a rare foray forward but couldn’t get a cross in while Clarke unsuccessfully appealed for another spot kick when he turned and ran into the area and was sandwiched between two defenders.

Ten minutes after the break, though, defender Colin Murdock must have breathed a sigh of relief when dangerman McCammon was taken off but he found fast replacement Gary Mulligan even hotter to handle.

And it continued in the same vein with Oli denied by Arthur while Jackson continued to be a livewire and the Reds were pinned back.

Mulligan had the ball in the net but it was ruled out after a foul by Jackson; Jackson should have done better when he broke through but Arthur was equal to it and then defender Garry Richards headed over from one yard out after another save by Arthur.

Stanley’s one and only real chance of the half fell to Paul Mullin with Chris King breaking on 67 minutes and playing in a good cross to the striker in the area but, leaning backwards, he couldn’t steer the ball on target.

And it was only light relief as then Arthur pulled off a one-handed save to keep out Croft’s looping header while Mulligan had two superb chances but couldn’t find the target.

The goal was coming - and finally a ball in from Daniels, who was a threat on the left as the Gills broke in numbers, found Oli, a tormentor of Stanley in Conference days. He turned and fired the ball goalwards and although Arthur got a hand to it, it trickled across the line.

And there was more of the same after that as they looked for a second with Arthur again at his best and the defence got little respite.

Gills assistant manager Scott Barrett was impressed by the Reds’ stopper’s show.

"I can’t believe we have come up against another keeper who has been excellent," he said.

"He must have been distraught he has not been able to keep a clean sheet."