Gillingham hope to extend winning run at Priestfield as AFC Wimbledon and Bradford City head to Kent in the coming days
05:00, 23 February 2023
updated: 08:56, 23 February 2023
Gillingham will be looking to extend their winning form at Priestfield as they face back-to-back home games.
Wimbledon make the trip to Gillingham on Saturday before play-off chasing Bradford City head to Kent for a rearranged clash on Tuesday.
Neil Harris’ men have won their last three League 2 matches at ME7 and the fans have been coming in greater numbers, too.
It’s a trend the manager hopes can continue.
“Wimbledon will be a great one,” said the Gills boss. “They travel well as a fanbase and they are a team that don’t lose a lot of games - draw a hell of a lot at the moment (seven of their last 11 have been draws) but haven’t lost many.
“They will come still with an outside thought of the play-offs and they have got some really good players as well. It’s another tough game, and then it’s Bradford after that, a team pushing for the play-offs.”
Gills’ original home fixture with Bradford in December was called off because of a frozen pitch.
“It is great at the moment isn’t it at Priestfield?” continued Harris.
“Even last Tuesday, in February, Valentine’s Day in football is tough normally to create an atmosphere, but we had it and I know on Saturday there will be even more.
“People will come now because they see a winning team and there’s a fanbase that loves their club again.”
Gills are the form team in the division and are gradually putting distance between themselves and the bottom two.
Harris said: “I was clear the other night, I haven’t taken too much notice of the table. I understand everyone around me takes notice of it, so of course I am aware of it.
“I look at the performances and I look at the personnel I have got. Success for us is winning and we have to keep players fit to do that. I have to manage the group and the mentality as well.
“Nobody in the group is going to take their eye off the ball because I don’t think I have got that type of group of players.
“We want to keep winning games of football and the lads know that, if they go into the team, they have to play well and win games because otherwise they won’t be in the team.
“It is a great position for us to be in at the moment, we have tough fixtures in front of us but we have back-to-back home games now and it is a good week for us to look forward to.
“I think the fans are enjoying the ride and it is so much appreciated. The other night was great, even when we conceded with 15 to go [against Grimsby], it went quiet, a bit nervy, but no moaning at the players, they trust us.
“It is going to be a rollercoaster between now and the end of the season.
“We are not the finished article, nowhere near it, and we have got some really tough games to play. But we might just be the kind of team that plays better against better teams.”
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