Steve Evans is expecting a tough game when Bristol Rovers travel to his former club, Gillingham, in Sky Bet League Two on Saturday.
The Gills are 16th in the fourth tier, with their electric start to the 2025/26 now a distant memory. Gareth Ainsworth's men looked like they would be challenging towards the top of the league in late September, with a 3-1 victory over Newport County putting them at the top of the table whilst also setting a club record 21 league games without defeat.
Claiming six wins from their first nine outings, they have only added another five triumphs since then, but with a talented squad, Evans knows the strength of his previous employers. Nevertheless, the Gas have won four of their last six matches to go ten points clear of the drop zone and will be looking to add another victory this weekend.
Speaking to the media before the contest, Evans previewed the upcoming clash, reflected on his January signings and delivered team news.
DIFFICULT TO BEAT
“I think, arguably, what we did in January has really helped the group. What we’ve been able to keep in the doors and keep on fighting for competition with the boys that were already here, because there were too many good players at this Football Club to be in the position it was. But sometimes in football, that can happen.
“I was at Rotherham, and I was never in the bottom three, but you can be in midtable and thinking that we should be a top group, because for whatever reason, the results weren’t turning for you. We’re in a good place, we’ve got good competition for places. Obviously, you know, we’ve got players like Taylor Moore fighting, and Shaq Forde will be back after Saturday, trying to fight.
"Josh McEachran, as I said, will be back on Monday, trying to get in. So, that’s what we want, is competition for places within the remaining games, because we’re far from safe in our battle to retain football league status.”
THE IMPACT OF THE JANUARY ADDITIONS
"I think if you go about and you watch games and you do your own homework and you know players that you would like to be around your group, depending on what level you are. I knew from the top down to League One, to where we are in League Two, what type of players [we needed].
"We didn’t get all of the players that we strived to get at the time, but I think I said earlier in the week, I thank Ricky Martin and the Chairman for being so proactive. It wasn’t easy to get Riley Harbottle; it wasn’t easy, whatever people think, to get Richie Smallwood. It’s never easy.
“But if you work hard as a manager, you get in your car, and you drive late at night and early in the mornings to meet the boys, then there’s a chance that you recognise that you’re the main man who picks the team who’s going to search to bring them in.”
GILLINGHAM PREVIEW
“Well, first and foremost, I think they’ve got a really good manager in Gareth Ainsworth. They’ve got brilliant owners in Brad and Sharon Galinson. I’ve met them only on two or three occasions, but they’re really good people and the CEO, Kelly Derham, who runs the football club meticulously.
“They have brilliant support and will be in full voice, I’m sure, and I look forward to giving them a little bit of applause, if you like, because they were fantastic to me during my time there. So, we expect a tough game – when you break down the squad, they have, without a doubt, a top-three, top-four-man squad.
“Gareth has put that together, so they’ve got the best players and most of their best players back for the weekend. That’s going to make it tough.”
TEAM NEWS
“There is a Clean bit of health. Everybody has been on the training ground. So, only positive things. Josh McEachran will be back with the full group as of tomorrow, but he’s done a really good session on the grass today, so we would say Josh would be in the group from Monday. The others are not too far away either, so it's good news.
"He [Mees Rijks] was unfortunate [not to be in the squad against Shrewsbury], but we explained to Mees and to others that there will be different players who are absent every week, depending on home or away or depending on opponents, who they are and what balance we are trying to get right in the group. You know, you want options, you want competition for places, not only in the starting team, but also on the bench.
"With Promise Omochere, we're talking two or three weeks. It seems like a long time, but how quickly the games come over Easter, it's not. Macauley Southam-Hales, I imagine he'll be back two or three weeks before the end of the season. We would love to see him in action. I remember that he was a thorn in our side when he played in the north west. From that point of view, it would be beneficial to have those boys back available.
"Particularly Josh. Josh was a real shining light when we first came in, but it's fair to say that he's got different competition and he has to come back in at his best or not get in."
