Gillingham boss Ady Pennock isn’t taking his eye off the battle below.

His team are just five points above the relegation zone in League 1 after back-to-back 1-0 defeats.

A push for the play-offs was on the cards when Pennock arrived but he’s well aware that the Gills still aren’t safe.

His first game last weekend at bottom club Oldham ended in defeat and Gills face a trip to leaders Sheffield United on Saturday.

He said: “A new manager comes in and everybody is saying ‘we’re going to make the play-offs’ which is great but I am realistic.

“We have to look everywhere, all around us. It is a tough league and as it showed on Saturday, with the results in the division, that anyone is capable of beating anyone. Every game is different and it is just about consistency.

“Of course you have to look behind, you have to look everywhere, it is just human nature, you have to look underneath you.

“We need to get that win and the ball rolling as soon as possible. We want to get those points quickly.”

United will be odds-on favourites to win this weekend.

But Pennock said: “Everyone thought we were going to beat Oldham comfortably because they are bottom of the league.

“I am sure people will think we have no chance at Sheffield United because they are top of the league.

“The response in training from last Saturday was good, they listened to what I said at half-time and at full-time and the second half was much better.

“That was then and we just have to move forward. I have learned a lot from Saturday.”

Read the full story in Friday's Medway Messenger