Gillingham return to Kent this weekend looking for a hat-trick of home SKYBet League Two wins as Tranmere Rovers come to MEMS Priestfield Stadium. 

Boss Mark Bonner has been talking to KSN ahead of the game and was asked what sort of game he was expecting – the manager said, “It is going to be another very tough game for us!  

“The opening block has been tough and there is not a huge amount of context yet to the season, you can draw some parallels and some judgements off a five-game block, but we are still probably five more games away from seeing real patterns start to emerge, not necessarily in terms of the League table but certainly in terms of style, key individuals, things like that.  

“When you think about our five games, they have been quite different in lots of ways. I am sure that the stats will bare things out from those, some are relevant, some probably not so much and you can look a bit too much into certain areas after such a short block, so it will probably be another five games until we get a good picture of everybody!” 

“Tranmere come here on an unbeaten start to the season and are in a nice position in the League and had last weekend off because of the Internationals so they will be nice and fresh going into this weekend. Omari Patrick is scoring goals for them and will be a threat, and again in Nigel Adkins an experienced guy in charge of the team.  

“Really from our side we are just really excited to be back at home, we have had a good week on the training ground and are looking forward to playing in front of what hopefully will be another good crowd on what looks like being a nice day and trying to continue the good start that we have made.” 

“We need to make sure that we turn this place into a fortress and supporters will play their part in that, but we are the ones who will inspire them more often than not, so it is down to our level.  

“We have had moments in the last few games when we have done great, and I think about the connection that will build when we start the game the way we did against Carlisle and the roof comes off the place inside two minutes and then in the second half where the crowd are loving it and getting behind that sort of performance.  

“Then the game against Chesterfield where we had a tough start, we get the goal and the roof lifts off the place and the atmosphere is great. And then in the second half when we are struggling, the supporters see a team fighting like anything to stay in the lead and they really helped us too!  

“I think that is how you make somewhere special, everyone plays a bit of a part in that, we are the lead roles and the main actors in that, and we must deliver our bit to get it right. But if you can get really strong home form and really good atmosphere and a tough place for people to come to, then I think that will work in our favour and that’s what we have to work hard and keep maintaining trying to have a real consistent level of our game and results here at Priestfield. 

Bonner ended with the updates on the weekends team news and said that Jonny Williams will miss out as the Club follows the concussion protocols following the Welshman’s head injury at Doncaster last week.  

Conor Masterson is still a way from training on grass (hopefully the end of next week) and Bradley Dack is still not ready to return to a Gillingham League side. Robbie McKenzie and Jake Turner are both training on grass though not ready for a return and may still be a few weeks away. On the plus side for Bonner though, skipper Max Ehmer is back after suspension and Euan Williams is back after a combination of suspension and international duty with Northern Ireland, under 21s.