Gaffer looking for another strong showing from his players following midweek victory.
Steve Evans hailed his team’s midweek performance over Bristol Rovers and is confident that if they match the standards they set in their 2-0 win, then more positive results will follow.
He spoke with the press ahead of Saturday’s Sky Bet League One game with Swindon, saying: “I was pleased with the performance against Bristol Rovers. If you get your performances right, then the results will follow. We were good enough on the night to beat most sides in this division, if not beat them, then compete with them. It was a really good solid away performance.
“We have a terrific group that work hard and believe in each other. We are delighted that we got the win and showed a reaction to the FA Cup loss against Exeter.”
Evans has high regard for Saturday’s visitors and is expecting a difficult afternoon from a team who has experienced mixed results this season.
He said: “Swindon are a terrific side. You look at the performance against Crewe when they were 2-0 up, they could have been three or four ahead, they made enough chances. They play some wonderful football and have an attack-minded football-brain of a coach in John Sheridan.
“He is a top-class manager and came from a good club in Wigan; a real football man, as is their Chairman. They will be organised and disciplined and we will have to produce a really good performance like we did at Bristol.
“They will come to Priestfield and try and secure lots of the ball. They are a really dangerous opponent for us. A win will take us to the cusp of the play-offs. That would be remarkable for this group considering the players we have been without. Remarkable for such a young group that have just come together in July and August.
“Swindon will be tough, they have beat some of the top teams and they have lost to some of the bottom teams. We will find out what type of Swindon turn up on Saturday.”
The Gillingham manager has historically enjoyed greater success in the second half of the season and again has his eye on the coveted play-off positions this year.
He said: “When you have a play-off season you need your best players to be fit for the majority of the time, particularly in the second half of the season. You also need to have a good January in the transfer window.
“We need to be stronger as a group and a better team in the second half of the season to make that play-off group. Historically we know that an Evans and Raynor team performs better in the second half of the season because we find a way to strengthen in the January window. We have identified positions and players that we like.
“The mid-table is no man’s land. Crowds are going to be coming back into the stadiums, sooner rather than later. It will be a wonderful thing if we can be near or in that play-off group and suddenly Priestfield opens up to spectators. We have to put ourselves in that position to give the belief to our supporters.”
The Gills are looking to make it five league games unbeaten against Swindon but Evans is wary of getting carried away and is more interested in looking forward rather than back.
He said: “Win, lose or draw, you have to have positivity in your camp. I don’t think you can get too high when you get some really good results and I don’t think you can get so low when it goes against you. You have to keep it on a level. We have to always focus on the next performance. We are focused on Swindon.”