Gillingham welcome the SKY Sports cameras to MEMS Priestfield for the second weekend in a row on Saturday when newly promoted Barnet are the visitors for a lunchtime kick off and manager Gareth Ainsworth is hoping he will see his side win from the stands.

After the 2-2 draw with Crawley Town last weekend, boss Gareth Ainsworth, who will again be watching from the upper tier of the Medway Stand, knows that the Bees will again pose problems for the seventh placed Gills. 

Talking at this week’s briefing, Ainsworth told KSN, “They will be a really good challenge on Saturday. Anyone is a good side in this league – they are professional players; they have a style that the manager wants to stick to and play, and they have had some good results.”

“We have watched a couple of their games recently – they had a great draw against MK Dons and to take points from them in a draw is a great result and they went to Cambridge last weekend and were very unlucky.”

“We must respect them and be on our game as they have some dangerous players. We have to make sure we are on our best game, and I want to keep an unbeaten run going after a tough October.” 

“We know we’re facing a tough game again from a team “just round the corner” – they will play a similar style to the one that we have just faced with Crawley and we are going to have to be at it to get anything out of this weekend as well.” 

Barnet arrive in Kent after winning the National League last season and Ainsworth spoke about the impact that both promoted clubs have had already in League Two this season. 

“With the way that Oldham have started as well, I do think the gap between League Two and the National League is getting smaller,” the Gills boss told us.

“Oldham gave us one of our toughest games so far; we may have won, but I said to their manager after the game that I thought we’d got away with that one a little bit!”

“It shows the standard of the National League has gone up – back in my day I played at Northwich Victoria, and they were proper part-time, and it was non-League, but now there are all sorts of professional set-ups.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if there were some better set-ups there than there is in the League and that’s saying something as a lot of people have proper training grounds now and decent facilities.” 

“There is some money in the National League at the moment, and I know that they are campaigning for three up as they believe that they can compete. I love our pyramid and the way football is set-up – we are the only country in the World that has 92 professional Clubs and tiers that we have.”

“I do think that the system is fine as it is, but I do think that the bridge isn’t great anymore. I think the gaps within the League are getting bigger because of the money.” 

Ainsworth spoke about his squad options and confirmed that skipper Armani Little is fit to play, and Seb Palmer-Houlden is back in the squad as well. 

Keeper Glenn Morris and Shad Ogie may be involved the weekend after next, whilst Ainsworth is hoping that long term duo – Euan Williams and Conor Masterson may be back during December.

Ainsworth said, “We’ve one or two knocks, but nothing serious so full cylinders on Saturday for the early kick off and we don’t want that catching anyone out – we’ll prepare the right way and hopefully get three points!”