Gillingham head for Nottingham this weekend for an early top of the table clash with leaders Notts County with boss Mark Bonner in good spirits and expecting a contest to relish. 

Talking to KSN at this week’s, briefing he said, “It is a game between two form teams, I think that they have won four on the bounce and their home form has been good.”

“I watched them at Meadow Lane when they played Fleetwood before we did as that game was played on a Sunday. But what we know about the place is that it is a wonderful stadium, the pitch is in immaculate condition and is one of the best in the League,” the Gills boss admitted.

“I am expecting probably around eleven thousand at the game with a brilliant atmosphere. We know that we will be really well followed – there will be two good teams with bags of talent and are confident!”

“We are in a confident place ourselves so I think it will be a really good test for us and a good challenge for us away from home in what has been a tough start for us in terms of opposition.”

“It is certainly one of those games that you should be looking forward to so early in the season.” 

“There is obviously less consequence now than if it was game forty potentially, but we know that it’s going to be a really good challenging game and one that we are looking forward to!” 

Bonner himself was named League Two’s first manager of the month before the win against Tranmere Rovers last weekend, and told us, “Ten points from the four games in the month is really good!”

“To get a promotion, we must do that every month of the season, so it has been a good start, but it is what we have to do!”

“We can get excited by it, or you can just say that this is what it looks like if you are going to have a successful season.”

“We have to do that time and time and time again – that is really hard, so when people get excited after six games, I know how hard the next forty games are going to be. It is a long, long way off!”  

“All we do – and the boys have done this is great – we have five games now in fifteen days and all we ever talk about is the next game and that will be the case all season!”

“It is a good enough start but, in the end, you just must crack on and do it again. We haven’t really made a big thing of the award and any recognition for individuals, whether it’s goal of the month, player of the month, team of the week, manager of the month, anything like that, if you are going to have a successful season, you are probably going to pick up quite a few of those, and any time any individual is recognised, the moment that you think it’s because of you, you are in trouble as everyone is doing a really good job. That’s it really and we will just crack on!” 

There are estimates that put the travelling support at the weekend into four figures – a fact that leaves the manager in awe. “It’s exceptional support,” Bonner admitted.

“They had a brilliant away day there last year (Gills edging a five goal Friday night thriller) and we know that we have to try and give them another one this year!”

“I’m not surprised they are travelling in good numbers; we have good support, and I know that that will continue to build, and we are all really looking forward to what will be a challenging afternoon – there are these games in the season where you just have that do not require motivating players for.”

“You know what the test is, you know what the challenge is, and we want to continue the good form that we are in ourselves.” 

Bonner then turned to the team news for the weekend. Ethan Coleman serves his suspension for the red card against Tranmere, and Josh Andrews misses out after a muscle injury before the Tranmere game.

Jonny Williams is back after suffering concussion in the defeat at Doncaster and the manager confirmed Aaron Rowe, Tim Dieng, Jake Turner and Conor Masterson are all back training on grass as they recover from their respective injuries whilst Bradley Dack’s return to League action with the Gills is still some way away, but as the manager put it, “he is closer than he was last week!”