By Chris Dicketts

There is no let up for the Gills in fixtures now as they approach the business end of the season and the manager clearly loves it.

This weekend he takes his side to Ashford for a Kent derby in the League Cup Quarter Finals and he admits that their opponents are going to be up for the game.

He said: "Of course they are because there playing us. I am sure they'll start very quick and try to take the game to us but we'll be up for it as it's a game and competition we would like to win.

"We won't under estimate them but we know if we take our league form into this game then it should be a comfortable afternoon."

A number of ex Gills players are now playing for Ashford and the manager realises they are going to want to show they were good enough to play for the Gills.

He added: "The players they've got are good players but the Gills team needed freshening up and those players weren't a part of my plans so they decided to leave. I had absolutely no problem with that and I think I have been proved right as there now plying their trade at Ashford.

His side will be expected to run up a cricket score against a side who are in the lower echelons of the women's game in comparison to his side.

Despite this expectation he just wants to win the game first and foremost, he said: "I think any games we play at the moment we are expected to run up a bit of a score and it'll be no different this Sunday.

"We set ourselves out to play good attacking football and luckily we have some of the best forward players in the women's game which means we score goals on a regular basis.

"We have to be patient because sometimes teams can frustrate you but as I have said before if we play like we can then we will win comfortably.

"I am sure we may have to weather an early storm but if we apply ourselves correctly and work hard then we'll be fine."

Whilst the team has been scoring goals consistently recently they have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last two outings and the manager wants that to start again on Sunday.

He added: "I think it's very important as it's something we've not been doing in recent weeks. To be honest there's been some world class strikes go in against us but there has been the odd individual mistake which we need to cut out.

"Clean sheets give confidence to the whole team so I am hoping we can get back to keeping them as our last one in the league was our away fixture at Fleet earlier in the season."

It could be a concentration thing that has caused recent lapses and lead to needless goals being conceded, but Varley understands that it isn't easy when you score 3 or 4 goals a game.

He said: "I think that's right yes but it's very difficult when you're going 3-4 goals up to keep the same mentality throughout the game.

"The Enfield game proved we have great character and when we need to up the gears we can do. If we can be consistent over a 90 minute period then no one can touch us but that's easier said than done, the best teams in the world can't even do that."

Despite this the Gills have beaten their League rivals comfortably in the last couple of weeks and Ian is understandably proud of his side.

He added: "We've played well the last two games and to score 5 and 6 against 2nd and 4th respectively shows we've performed well.

"The girls have set themselves a very high standard which means I now pick at the smallest of things but that's only to make us better and stronger as a team.

"Sometimes we make the game harder than what it should be, but overall I can't complain at all because we have been magnificent this season."