Gillingham boss Martin Allen is relishing the prospect of facing another in-form team on Tuesday.

The Gills sit top of League 2 but come face-to-face with a Southend side who have bounced back from a poor start to the season by winning their last three league games.

Southend won 3-1 at Cheltenham on Saturday and their team will include former Gills forward Gavin Tomlin – who hit six goals in 10 games during a loan spell at Priestfield last season.

Allen (pictured) knows only too well the challenge which lies ahead.

He said: "Paul Sturrock (Southend manager) always puts together good teams and they were in the play-offs last year. Southend got in the play-offs and Gillingham didn’t get in the play-offs.

"It will be a pretty good match for us to challenge a team who were in the play-offs last season. I suppose now we have to make our mark against some of the teams towards the top."

Tomlin has started every league game so far for Southend but is yet to score, although he did find the target in their Johnstone’s Paint Trophy win over AFC Wimbledon earlier this month.