Evans wary of in-form Gills

The Gills have won five of their last six Npower League 2 matches, beating high-flying Torquay and even more impressively recording a 3-0 victory at Cheltenham on Saturday to haul themselves right back in the mix for promotion places.

Reds boss Steve Evans knows just how much of a threat Gillingham pose as they were the side who ended Crawley’s long unbeaten run with a spicy 2-1 win at the Broadfield on Boxing Day.

On that day Crawley had Claude Davis red carded early on but went ahead thanks to a Matt Tubbs penalty, before the Gills turned it around with two quick second half goals to end the host’s 15 match unbeaten run.

Evans said: “We’ve got another real difficult game against Gillingham, who’ve had a magnificent result in winning at Cheltenham, any team who wins at Chelthenham by three shows what they’re capable of.”

And speaking about their previous meeting he said: “We went down to ten men. I know they equalled it up late on but I think it was a fantastic game for the supporters. We got our noses in front, and then battered at the door for 90 minutes. But if you’re the (Gills) manager that day you go away with the biggest smile on your face.

“I’ve got a lot of respect for the people at Gillingham, the chairman and a lot of the players I know very well. We know it’s going to be tough, but hey, will Rotherham be any easier next Saturday? I don’t think so, because they’ve got another good manager with good players.”

Having returned to winning ways against Port Vale on Saturday Evans is hoping his team deliver a slice of revenge to dampen Gills’ own promotion hopes and lay the foundations for another good run of results as the season reaches its climax.

“They’re next to them (the play-off positions) aren’t they, and after that result (on Saturday),” Evans said. “I’m not surprised (they are fighting for promotion), Andy’s (Hessenthaler, manager) had a lot of injuries to deal with to key players and he’s kept going, and I know he went down there (to Cheltenham) without three or four players who would have made his team sheet, and that speaks volumes about the result.

“It’s just another game we have to go and deal with and chalk off and we know it’s going to be tough,” he added.

Reds hope to have both Lloyd James and Claude Davis fit after both limped off with knocks on Saturday. Michel Kuipers is expected to retain the goalkeeper’s jersey.

Tonight’s match at the Priestfield Stadium kicks off at 7.45pm. See the website for team news before kick off and a match report and reaction afterwards.