Gillingham take on third-placed Mansfield Town at Priestfield this Saturday, a week after their defeat at Doncaster Rovers in League 2
Gillingham manager Neil Harris is still working on getting the balance right at both ends of the pitch.
The Gills have enjoyed a great start to the season, and Harris knows he has a team that can be more ruthless, but he doesn’t want to see their forward play come at the expense of a leaky defence.
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His team have had a more attacking threat in their last two games, winning at home to Morecambe and then losing at Doncaster at the weekend.
Harris, whose side couldn’t make the most of numerous chances last Saturday, said: “The positives are that we were creative and looked like a really good team at times – we need to get the balance between a really good team and making sure we do have a clean-sheet mentality.
“As a group, we just have to be more clinical. The pleasing thing is we made a lot more chances. Last week we were excellent in the first half and had loads of chances.
“In the last two games we have been more creative, we have had sparks, we have had quality, we have had class. I want us to continue to show that because if we continue to show that then we will win games of football comfortably.
“We have won games by the odd goal, by being resilient. The last two we haven’t been as resilient as I would have liked, but we have been really good with the ball.
“We just need to find that balance between the two.”
Gillingham are back at home this Saturday in a second versus third match against Mansfield Town, a team who sit a point and a place below Harris’ side.
Notts County are top of the League 2 table, two points ahead of the Gills.
Harris’ side then visit Crewe on Tuesday.
While it’s a battle between two of the division’s meanest defences this weekend – both sides have conceded eight and only Barrow have let in less – Harris will be hoping his forward players can start making the most of their chances.
Macauley Bonne was partnered with Tom Nichols last weekend, with Ashley Nadesan coming off the bench.
“We do a lot of finishing drills. Macauley came to us late and sharpness-wise is the last thing you get. You get your legs and get your energy and your pressing, your contacts, then the sharpness is the last bit and sometimes the sharpness comes with confidence.
“We’re trying to get confidence all the time in training and he was excellent, his all-round game was first-class, as it was last Saturday. He’s just missing that final moment.”
Jefferies is back in training after a hamstring injury while Lapslie shouldn’t be too far off with a strain of his own. A six-week timescale has been put on Hawkins after his latest setback from a heel injury and Tim Dieng is a few weeks away.
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