Kent Messenger Maidstone

Gills face ‘toughest test’

- By Luke Cawdell

Manager Justin Edinburgh is gearing up for Gillingham’s hardest test so far this season.

The League 1 leaders will be hot favourites when strugglers Blackpool come to town and that could pose problems.

The Gills boss doesn’t want anyone to think the game tomorrow (Saturday) will be a walkover and he’s been drumming that into his players.

Edinburgh said: “Our home form has been excellent and the next one is the biggest one. I have no doubt that everyone coming here on Saturday is thinking it is going to be a comfortabl­e victory for us.

“This is our toughest one and since the final whistle last Saturday, that is all I have been rubbing into our players.

“It is going to be a difficult match. I need the crowd to be at their best, in terms of atmosphere and the noise level that needs to be generated because we need to do it together.

“These games are the tricky ones. As a club, when we have the big guns we get up for it but these are the important ones, the ones that are potential banana skins.”

Blackpool, relegated from the Championsh­ip last season with just 26 points, won for the first time in 25 games last weekend, scraping a 1- 0 win at Scunthorpe.

Edinburgh said: “Maybe it is a good thing Blackpool have got themselves up and running because you don’t want people to underestim­ate them or become complacent. We certainly won’t do that here.

“Blackpool were in the Premier League not too long ago and that is what we can’t forget.

“They are a big club coming to Gillingham and we have to make sure we prepare properly and give them the respect they deserve.”

Gillingham are League 1’s only unbeaten side and they have yet to concede a goal at home, winning all three games. Edinburgh hopes those home comforts can continue.

He said: “This is our home, we want to make sure it is hostile in the right way and people don’t enjoy coming here.”

 ?? Picture: Barry Goodwin ?? Doug Loft took on the role of centre-back against Doncaster on his first start of the season for Gillingham lastSaturd­ay
Picture: Barry Goodwin Doug Loft took on the role of centre-back against Doncaster on his first start of the season for Gillingham lastSaturd­ay
 ?? Picture: Barry Goodwin ?? Gillingham’s Jake Hessenthal­er scores the only goal against Doncaster
Picture: Barry Goodwin Gillingham’s Jake Hessenthal­er scores the only goal against Doncaster

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