FALLEN Premier Leaguers Derby County arrive at Priestfield tonight with perfect timing, according to Gillingham player-manager Andy Hessenthaler.

The Gills boss believes that now, rather than later, is the time to be playing the promotion favourites before they fully acclimatise to life in Nationwide League, Division 1.

Though the Rams made a winning start with Saturday's 3-0 win against Reading, Hessenthaler insisted: "I'm glad we're playing them tonight. It will be a bit of a shock to them because some of their players have not played outside the Premier League.

"Hopefully we will meet them at the right time. If we had played them in six to seven weeks time they would, by then, have adjusted to the division. On the other hand, their manager, John Gregory, knows what we're like because he knows me and he knows our coach Richard Hill well.

"He knows the kind of spirit we have at this club and that we don't have any superstars. And he knows his team will be in for a tough game tonight.

"We'll be going into the game full of confidence after winning away to Wimbledon and he won't be relishing playing us."

With striker Mamady Sidibe having recovered from the knee injury that forced his substitution late in Saturday's game against the Dons, he is set to make his home league debut tonight in an unchanged side.