Gills number three says the team is heading in the right direction as the festive season approaches.
Defensive-rock, Connor Ogilvie, is hoping Gillingham can prove their mettle and make it six league games without defeat ahead of their away Sky Bet League One clash with Doncaster Rovers on Saturday.
Despite facing a difficult challenge, Ogilvie is confident that an in-form Gills side will have enough to come away with a positive result.
Ogilvie, speaking with local media via Zoom ahead of the match, said: “Our League One form at the minute has been good, the last two games especially. We have set ourselves high standards and we want to be hitting them every week. Hopefully we can hit those standards and get a result against Doncaster.
“It’s taken a while because we are a new group; there are a lot of new faces in the changing room. As a team, it maybe took a little while to gel but now it is all coming together. We want to go on a run and pick up some good results over Christmas.
“If we beat Doncaster, we go above them. If we want to be aiming for those play-off spots and push up the league then that’s what we need to do. It’s simple but it is also hard; we need to beat the teams above us and keep those teams below us, away from us.
“I feel like we have a great chance against Doncaster. We are scoring goals and not conceding. If we can continue that, then I don’t see why we can’t go up to Donny and get a result up there. We are moving in the right direction.”
Ogilvie, a former England U17 international, will recognise a familiar face in the opposition when the two sides meet on Saturday. Goalkeeper Joe Lumley, who briefly joined Gillingham on an emergency loan in October, is now on a week-long emergency loan at the Keepmoat Stadium. The QPR keeper impressed at the Gills with some fine displays and became known for filling the quiet empty stadiums with his loud vocal commands to defenders.
Ogilvie said: “I know Joe, he was at Spurs with me when he was younger and he came on loan when I was at Stevenage as well. He is a great keeper. He’s very talkative and he came in and slotted in lovely when he came to the Gills. It will be good to see him and good to come up against him, but hopefully we can put a few past him.”
The Covid-affected calendar has Gillingham playing a further six league games over December and into the new year, meaning the hectic festive schedule will have a considerable impact on their league position, something Ogilvie is all too aware of.
He said: “It’s what football is about. It’s going to be two games a week, sometimes more. We just have to crack on. You are going to feel stiff and tired but you have to dig in. Everyone is going to be needed, it’s not just about eleven players. Whoever steps in has to do a job. We have strength and depth in this group.
“Last year we went on an unbeaten run at about this time. If you can get good results through Christmas and hit the new year running then it will put you in great stead for the back-end of the season. We all have to be leaders out there and fight for the shirt.”