Gillingham boss Neil Harris believes their weekend game will give them a fair indication of how far they’ve progressed.

Harris’ side lost 2-0 to the Stags the last time they met, in February, but feels they’re now better equipped following a summer transfer window where more quality has been added.

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The Gills start the day second in the League 2 table, a point and a place better off than Nigel Clough’s unbeaten Mansfield.

Harris said: “We fell short against them last year, Mansfield away was a real good benchmark for us. We were a new group and it was an eye-opener for us.

“We got better and better after that game. This is a really good marker for us now, for where we’re at, against a side who are doing really well.

“They are a really good side, a team that has been built over a few seasons, various transfer windows, a big squad, a good squad of players, a lot of experience at this level and above.

“(They are) hard to play against, extremely athletic and aggressive, fast and with a natural ability to score goals. They will definitely be right up there at the top of the league this year.

“Mansfield have some pedigree, they have some qualities, and I look at our squad, I really like our squad, really proud of it, but then I look at others still a bit envious to the personnel they have, numbers-wise as well, so it just shows our aspirations of where we are at and where we want to get to. There are still a few clubs which are a couple of transfer windows infront of us.

“We played them last year, home and away, it was extremely difficult for us and we fell just short in both games. We are in a much better position to challenge them now and for me, any team that finishes above Mansfield this season is certainly going to be in the top three, four positions.

“Mansfield are unbeaten, (there is) pressure on them to get promoted for sure this season as a fancied team but two teams that are in the top three for a reason because after nine games that’s where we deserve to be.”

Gillingham lost 2-1 at Doncaster last time out, unable to make the most of their chances.

It meant that despite the defeat, the mood in the camp this week was positive.

“We should have put the game to bed,” said the manager.

“It was a strong performance at the top end of the pitch. A lot of chances fell to centre-halves and midfielders, as well as our nines or wide players. As a team we have to be clinical. If you don’t (score) then you leave yourself open at the other end to a sucker punch.

“It was a great strike and the majority of the fanbase would say we couldn’t do anything about that, a ball into the top corner from 30 yards, but we could have done a lot about it. We've cleared that up and know we can do better.

“The message to the players is: ‘We’ve created a lot of chances in three out of the last four games, just make sure when we create that amount we have to have the mentality of putting the ball into he net. We are getting better, we can see that, we will continue to do that and we are in a very healthy position’.”