Gillingham welcome Harrogate Town to Priestfield on Saturday looking to extend their new record unbeaten League run to 22 matches after the joyous scenes following the breaking of the 50 year old record at Newport County with manager Gareth Ainsworth not getting carried away.

But boss Gareth Ainsworth knows that nothing was won by beating the record as Saturday marks just the ten game point in the SKYBet League Two season. Talking to KSN at this week’s briefing the Gills boss told us, “We say every week that in League Two anyone can beat anyone, and this week is no different!” 

Reflecting on last weekend’s win at Newport, Ainsworth admitted, “We had a really tough time in that first fifteen minutes last week when they came at us and I am expecting that Harrogate will be the same. Without a shadow of a doubt, they too will come at us!  

“They have some good players – Stevie Duke- McKenna I had at QPR, a good little player who seems to be finding some form; Brynn Morris I have worked with before in the midfield so they have some really good players, but you have to give credit to Simon Weaver (the Harrogate boss) for what he has done there – the job he’s done. 

“He’s kept Harrogate in the League for a few years now as when they came up from the Conference, many people thought they would go straight back down, and I know what a tough task that is from my time at Wycombe. Many people thought we were relegation candidates – you have to keep going and working to your principles and Simon has obviously done that, got a little bit of luck but it’s all down to hard work.  

“The players he has brought up there and that’s why I am saying that we ae going to have to be at our best because his Harrogate side are a decent side.” 

“I have been told that we haven’t got the best of records against Harrogate,” the Gills boss then said. “But I was told the same thing at Newport last week, so it doesn’t concern me too much, but we need to be at our top level definitely. And that is in every game this season – not just Harrogate at home!” 

“I’m really proud of what we did last week! The big thing is that we weren’t talking about it during the week – no-one was mentioning it or saying let’s get this record, it just sorts of organically happened and sprung up on us a little bit! 

“People will say that they won’t believe me when I am saying that, but it did! Maybe it’s because it was across two seasons, I don’t know but what an achievement to go twenty-one League games unbeaten.  

“It will be brilliant to see the fans Saturday coming to Priestfield and lets all celebrate together, because you have all played your part in this – all the fans who have been with us throughout so let’s have that moment when you all come in and you all celebrate but then you all get behind us because we want to make in twenty-two unbeaten, we want to keep going on this run and we need your support to get anything out of Harrogate.  

“I’m looking forward to seeing a bumper crowd with home fans with all four sides open which is magnificent! I haven’t seen that since I took over and I am looking forward to that and hopefully we can get the points.” 

“I’ve been asked about teams who will come to Priestfield for a point. I cannot wait for a team to defend,” Ainsworth said.  

“You know I cannot wait for a team to do that as I know that we have some real good firepower to break that down. If someone wants to come here and try that tactic, then great and we will find a way to break that as well.  

“I am really pleased with where we are and using a very big cliche, it’s about us and what we do and it is, but whatever they do it is my job to make my boys prepared to come up against anything and beat it!”  

Squad news and Ainsworth told us that, “We have a few injuries back and Gareth McLeary’s suspension is up as well which is fantastic so massive headaches but looking forward to picking from the squad.”