Gillingham boss Neil Harris admits he has plenty of decisions to make this weekend to combat a physical and direct Stevenage side.

He’ll want to name a side who can stand up to the challenge of the League 2 leaders but, with improvements being made in recent weeks, there is a balance to be found.

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Harris might choose to bring big defender Elkan Baggott back in while captain Stuart O’Keefe is also getting close to being available again after injury. He also has decisions to make upfront, with Lewis Walker scoring again in midweek.

He said: “We have had a relatively settled team last three games, maybe we have to think about a change to try and combat Stevenage’s strengths but we also have to look at what we do and where we have been getting better as well. How far do we want to come away from that?

“Decisions for the weekend? Yes, we have quite a few to make, for me it is about trying to get as many right as possible, like the decision last week to start Mikael Mandron.”

Stevenage top the division with 10 wins from 13. It’s the first of some tougher challenges ahead for the Gills, with second-placed Leyton Orient to play soon along with top-half sides Barrow and Doncaster coming up.

Harris said: “Stevenage have a lot of points, they will be in a good place, confident, they have a big group of players, I am sure Steve (Evans, their manager) will have selection headaches with who to pick. He’s got very good players at the level.

“We know what attributes they have as well, a direct team, physically they ask a lot of questions of you and you have to stand up to it, a different challenge to maybe Crewe, but every game is a challenge, we have to find a different way of competing.

“It’s why we are in the game isn’t it? To test yourself against the better teams. You do need a bit of luck sometimes to play teams that aren’t in such a good vein of form. Harrogate came here and beat us 2-0 on the counter-attack, against the run of play, they have only taken one point from eight games since, you need a bit of fortune, you do want to test yourself, against bigger clubs with bigger budgets and see where your players fare against them.”

Harris will be welcoming a Stevenage side with former Gills boss Evans at the helm. There is sure to be plenty of noise from the dugouts but that’s unlikely to bother the home boss.

“(I came up against them) at the Den (with Millwall),” said Harris. “It was fine, no issues. I focus on my players, at the moment that takes up a lot of my focus, to make sure we are at our best.

“I like to concentrate on my team and I have had enough concentrating on referees and fourth officials at the moment and some of the standards, to be worrying about what the other bench is doing.

“I always have a drink with the opposing manager after the game, very rarely in my eight years have I not had a drink with the opponent after the game, I am sure it will be no different at the weekend.”

Reflecting on his team’s own showing after 12 games, there are still plenty of improvements for them to make.

“We haven’t scored enough goals,” he said. “The defensive record is very good, we don’t give loads away, top end of the pitch we have got into some really good areas at times and competitive in every game barring the odd one, Tranmere and the first half against Mansfield, we just haven’t scored enough goals to be in a healthier position in the league.

“Scoring four games in a row might not sound a great feat in professional football, but there has to be development and progress somewhere and we certainly have had that.

“One defeat in eight in all competitions is a positive, the challenge for us is to try and continue that moving forward. Players are in a good place, individually we are getting better. With 16 new players I always knew it would take time, just because we are getting better, are we anywhere near the finished article? No, nowhere near it, miles away from it.

“I have had to be patient, and over the course of 90 minutes we are not fluid, we have a good half, a ragged second, we have moments in games where we look good and then we turn it over cheaply, these are things I keep reminding the players and continually working to improve the group.

“We will get there, at the moment we are showing everyone and the players are showing me that we are moving in the right direction.”

For this weekend, O’Keefe is better placed than Ben Reeves to return to action.

“Ben and Stu are getting closer,” said the manager. “This Saturday might come a little too soon for Ben, maybe for both. I don’t want to rush anyone back with a soft tissue injury and then lose them for six to eight weeks.”

With Olly Lee, a health issue keeps him sidelined, but he came close to being involved in Tuesday’s Papa John’s Trophy match.

Harris said: “If he isn’t involved this Saturday we could look to an in-house game next Tuesday to get him minutes, and others who need it. Olly is getting there but we’re very patient.”

David Tutonda has had an operation on a knee injury and is also out.