Gillingham manager Neil Harris and his squad have made the most of their free midweek.

An energy-sapping afternoon in the sun last Saturday was the team’s 10th game in five weeks and it was a welcome chance to rest and recover. They go again tomorrow when they welcome Morecambe to Priestfield.

“There was a severe lack of energy in the camp when we came back in (on Monday),” admitted the Gills boss. “I had not seen a dressing room like that after a game for a long time, a real pre-season feel to it.

“The lads are fit, we had just won with a late goal and the place was rocking as we left, it was a brilliant feeling at the end but the heat, exhaustion, dry pitch, blisters, the lads and the staff were out on their feet.

“We had to be careful at the start of the week, but it’s been brilliant, it’s given us a real opportunity to get some rest into some players, treatment into others and an opportunity to train a bit harder with some of the lads who needed more time on the grass.

“It has enabled us to work on some play with the football, and in the final third, just to give ideas and encouragement to be a bit more productive at the top end of the pitch, really a chance to recharge the batteries on the back of 10 games and a pre-season schedule that was intense, ahead of this weekend.”

Weekend visitors Morecambe have had a mixed start to their season, following relegation from League 1 last term. They’ve lost their first two matches away from home at the lower level and will be hoping it’s third time lucky this weekend.

Harris’ men beat Harrogate at Priestfield last Saturday 1-0, on a scorching day.

The manager said: “I am hoping for some cooler weather so we can hopefully play with more intensity than we did against Harrogate.

“I think the back-to-back home wins (in the league and EFL Trophy against Orient) has given the players and the whole football club a lift.

“We know we are still a work in progress, loads of improvements to do, but we’ve had five wins and are top, with back-to-back home wins, (that’s) really important for us going into the next one.

“Morecambe are similar to Harrogate in a sense of the way they play, some mobility, energy and quality at the top end, took a lot of loans in this year and they have some experience in the defensive unit. It will be a tough game.

“They are another team that has had a solid start (with home wins over Walsall, Bradford and Salford) that are as good as anyone in the league on their day.

“Anyone who thinks we’ll just turn up and beat Morecambe has to come with a different mindset than that, they have to come with a patient mindset and a mindset that we are playing against a very good side who narrowly got relegated last year out of League 1 and has aspirations to go back up again.”

Harris has been boosted by some returning players. Not all will be back on Saturday but the training ground’s been busier.

Striker Lewis Walker and Oli Hawkins have both continued their path towards a first appearance this season.

Harris said: “They have been back in training, I’m not saying they will be ready for this weekend, we have a behind-closed-door B team game on Tuesday at the training ground, they might get some minutes in that, but it is nice to have them back on the grass, a couple of attacking options.

“It is always nice when you welcome back injured players because they come back with energy, a different thought process, and different banter, it has been a positive few days on the training pitch.”

Walker broke down with an injury after the first pre-season game. As he ups his fitness Harris must decide with the player whether he stays at the club to challenge for a place or heads out on loan for some minutes.

George Lapslie, meanwhile, is fit and raring to go after an hour last weekend, coming back into the group after a spell on the sidelines with concussion. Striker Tom Nichols is a doubt as he hasn’t trained this week due to an ongoing knee injury.

Harris is hoping his squad is coming through the worst of their injury problems now.

He said: “Every team will have an injury scenario in the first three months of the season, I am hoping we have had ours, we had nothing over pre-season, I am hoping where we lost three centre forwards at the same time and lost three centre midfielders at the same time, I hope that is coming to an end.

“That will happen to others, some teams keep picking the same side and they are having success doing it, but that will change.”

Despite the injuries, the Gills have come through it sitting top of the table.

Harris said: “We had that little blip, a disappointment, three defeats in a week, Grimsby in particular. I said then that we had done extremely well because we had won four away games out of the six, we were desperate to get back at home.

“We came through that away period with a great points total in the end and it’s the same with the injuries.

“We’re coming through a couple of two-week periods where we’ve really struggled with players in certain positions, that is testimony to the group again, mental strength and ability and a reminder that we have to try keep people fit because it’s not easy for the players, certainly wasn’t easy for Shaun Williams to complete over 90 minutes.”

Ethan Coleman’s return this weekend from suspension will provide competition for captain Williams, or an able partner in the middle of the park. It’s a job Robbie McKenzie’s done to good effect in recent games.

Harris said: “Players need each other, not only do they complement each other really well on the pitch but they dovetail really well for minutes played, both want to play, both appreciate each other’s qualities.

“Shaun Williams certainly appreciates Ethan’s legs and energy and Ethan knows he has the perfect foil whether he is playing with him or instead because of his experience and the way he talks to him.”

Coleman’s a player who was brought in during last season, initially watching from the outside, before becoming heavily involved, just like Jayden Clarke.

Clarke’s impact off the bench was there for all to see last weekend.

“He brought that positivity,” said the manager. “The first couple of things he did was positive, he is young, he treads on the ball and gives it away, it can happen, but I am saying to him to play with a bit of freedom.

“His strongest couple of games have been against Southampton and Luton where we have been very much a counter-attack team and space has been open for him to attack.

“I didn't think against Harrogate he would have that space, so it is important we use Jayden wisely, he’d played three games in a week and maybe the game didn’t suit him from the start, but when he came on he did make an impact and that’s what we need to see.

“We need to see that impact but ultimately what we need to see from Jayden Clarke is end product, that’s what he is at the football club for and that is how he is going to make his living, his name in the game and in football.

“Without the ball he is excellent, but then with the ball (it’s about) making sure we get him in that final third as often as possible, being productive.”

The Gills fans got behind their team from the off against Harrogate and the players responded, albeit without scoring. It ended up being a frustrating day at times, but the manager praised the fans for sticking with them. the winner came in stoppage-time.

He said: “Yes, we have to give more entertainment at times, but that is end product, we know that the fans are with us, desperate to see us win, the main thing is we win games of football.

“The fans were brilliant the other day, absolutely brilliant.

“When I watched the game back every time our best moments happened, Jayden coming on as an impact, Tom (Nichols) and Ash (Nadesan) coming on, Scott (Malone) and Macauley (Bonne) almost scoring first half, as soon as those positive moments happened there was a break in play, it killed the momentum and atmosphere a little bit.

“The moment the player went down for eight minutes, thankfully he is alright, but we had two chances just before that and two corners and a long throw, the fans were up, then he is down for eight minutes, fans were disappearing out the door to get a drink, it’s then a different atmosphere again.

“Trying to build that momentum is absolutely key, it just wasn’t possible on Saturday, but the fans were absolute class for us. We want the fans to keep sticking with us, driving with us, because ultimately we all want to get to the same end goal.”