Hessenthaler relieved

Andy Hessenthaler, the Gillingham player-manager, admitted yesterday that relief was the primary emotion after his side's 1-0 win over Bristol Rovers on Tuesday earned them a fifth-round FA Cup trip to favourites, Arsenal.

The win was achieved in monsoon conditions, and Hessenthaler said: "To be honest there was a lot of anxiety on the bench, especially from me. We were not at our most convincing. But you had to take the conditions into account – and we were the favourites, which was unusual for us.

"We huffed and puffed at times but had enough chances in the second half. I thought their goalkeeper did very well, and on another day better finishing might have seen us go on and win the game by two or three.

"All the time it was 1-0 we were a bit apprehensive, and one mistake or lack of concentration could have let them back in. But you have got to give Rovers a lot of credit. They have been up against it themselves with suspensions and then the lad Hogg getting injured early on.

"But they came and had a right go at us. Garry Thompson is doing a good job there – and full credit to him."

Hessenthaler had banned the word "Arsenal" from the Gills dressing-room in the build-up to the game but admitted he is looking forward to meeting his Gunners counterpart, Arsène Wenger, for the first time. "I've never met the man. But seeing him on television and the way he talks about the game and his ideas make him a very respected man in football," he said.

"It would be nice to meet somebody like that, and as a manager you can learn so much from him. It will be nice to shake his hand and maybe have a chat."

Thompson, however, was left struggling to contemplate the end of his cup run after his side failed to build on their third-round giant-killing against Derby. "The dream of the FA Cup is over for us, and now we have got to go on and win some league games," he said.

"We have got a hell of a lot of memories to take from this run. It's been a good run for us. We're a bit gutted that we fell short on the night because we would have loved the dream to continue. But that's the beauty of the FA Cup. It happens, and we'll be there again next year."