By Jack Nolan
November 24 2006

Gillingham are host to Rotherham United this Saturday and will have the benefit of having no fresh injury woes. One player who won't be in the Gills squad though is Leon Knight, who was the verge of completing a loan move to Gills before opting out to join Championship outfit Barnsley.

Gillingham v Rotherham United
Priestfield Stadium
25/11/2006
15:00 K.O

Gillingham Team News

Gillingham boss Ronnie Jepson has revealed no injury woes ahead the game at Priestfield Stadium on Saturday. Dean McDonald seems to be the only injury worry ahead of the clash with the Millers who was withdrawn for the squad to face Bristol City in last weeks three one defeat.

Gills squad from: Jack, Jupp, Cox, Jackman, Clohessy, Chorley, Sancho, Leon Johnson, Bentley, Spiller, Crofts, Jarvis, Flynn, Pouton, Easton, McDonald, Savage, Mulligan, Ndumbu-Nsungu, Collin, Stone.

Rotherham UTD Team News

Rotherham UTD manager Alan Knill will have to travel to Kent without midfielders Lee Williamson who has a broken toe and Micheal Keane who is suffering from a hamstring injury. The Millers boss will also be sweating on the fitness of Millers captain Colin Murdock who has been suffering from a hip injury and Greg Robertson also comes back into contention for a start.

Referee:

The referee for Saturdays clash is Mr Jarnail Singh who refereed some of Gillingham's most porest performances last season. Mr Singh officiated in the five nil hammering from Colchester at Layer Road and the three one home defeat to Scunthorpe, both of them coming last season.

Views:

Ronnie Jepson

"If you look at their form this season, if they didn't have the ten-point deduction, then they would be right up in the mix. We know they are a decent team so it is going to be a difficult task, but one that we look forward to and one we hope to get something from the game.

"They are a very dangerous team and are in a false-position after that points deduction. Their game last week against Nottingham Forest, Forest scored right at the death and Rotherham were the better team throughout according to the report from our scout at the game. We know it is going to be difficult, whether it be against Rotherham or anyone else. We treat everyone the same, give them respect when they come to Priestfield, but I know on our day, we are capable of giving any team a game of football in this league.

"Like I have been trying to put over to the lads this week, we need to get that consistency. If we can get it, we'll move further up the league. If we don't, we'll be yo-yoing up and down the league and looking over our shoulder, which we don't want as we want to go the other way. I'd like us to be in a position come January to be in the top-half of the league and relatively comfortable and where we can set our sights a little higher. We need to maintain what we have been doing on a more consistent basis.

"Rotherham are the same as they have been for the last few seasons, to be fair. They are a strong unit who play four-four-two. They get in your face and get about you. They get balls into the box and defend well. First and foremost, we have got to be prepared for a battle. If we are not, then we will find it very difficult. We need to match the way they go about it, and if we can do that, get the ball into the right areas, we have one or two players at this club who can hurt people.""It is that consistency. One win in three and you are up and down. Win two out of three, then you will be up there in the mix at the end of the season. It is just about getting the lads to perform to a two out of three level, which we have done at times. That type of form can happen at this level unless you can go out and bring a few players in, like some teams in this league can. You just have to get on the training ground, keep working hard and hopefully the penny will drop in terms of certain players as well as collectively. When you do that, you get more regular results and that will keep you up the top end of the table and pushing for the play-offs.

"The lads are doing well and I don't want to upset that. The lads know me and they know I want to add more players to the squad. Everyone knows that but it costs money so we'll just see what happens. We are still looking and keep making enquiries and hopefully we can add to the squad. I'm looking to strengthen throughout the side as I think you need competition for places and cover for injuries to improve us. Everyone has seen us play some decent football at times during this season and we are doing better than we were at this time last year.

"We have put on some good shows at home and some away too. At times, we maybe haven't got the right results form the performances. We got the three points off of Chesterfield the other week and maybe we didn't deserve them. Hopefully we will get the rub of the green and those performances away from home, where we deserve something, we can get a point or so. Maybe we won't play so well at times and still get something.

"We want to keep clean sheets but we also want to score goals. Some of the goals we have conceded, they have been cheap goals. I don't mind a good goal being scored against us, I'll hold my hands up there. We do work on it, but it is not just about the back four, but the defending from the team as a whole. People have switched off in the wrong areas and we have been working on that. I just don't want us to put seven players behind the ball and launch it. If you want to see a team do that, then I am not the man for that. It will keep you clean sheets all day long with your nil-nils and the odd one-niller. I want the lads to express themselves and play football as I think the supporters deserve that. I think that is the right way to go about it. We have done that well in parts this year and if we could be a little more professional in defensive areas, and keep going forward, we will be a good team if we can sustain the consistency.

"I have in my own mind but I don't like to put pressure on my players as I like them to go out there and express themselves. They will know when we are relatively safe. If we can get to a points tally where we are safe, like we did last year, and are in a good position with say 10 or 12 games left to have a go, then the shackles come off and maybe players play with a bit more freedom. If you look at the history of the play-off system, the teams that do come late, rather than the teams who have been up there all season and the pressure gets to them a little bit, they have nothing to lose."

Alan Knil:
"We put on a great performance Saturday on the back of a poor performance against Peterborough in the cup and that's just what we needed especially in front of the bumper crowd we had. Martin woods had a great game, he's a top player and I had no doubts when I signed him in the summer, he just needs to put a run of good performances together. What can I say about Will Hoskins, his goal was super as most of them have been this season and every goal he gets is special, lets hope we see some more at Gillingham and see Will become the top scorer in League one. Priestfield is a tough place to go but so is every game we paly, I am quite confident, we can take on any team at the moment confidently, we are unbeaten from our last six League games and our away form is pretty good so we all think we can win the game. I may just make a couple of changes on the bench but I will most likely be keeping the same line up as I did with the Nottingham Forest game. We have Michael Keane and Gregor Robertson back in training but Colin Murdock and Lee Williamson are still out. It's a long trip down to Gillingham and I'd like to thank all our fans that are making the journey this is much appreciated by us all."