Gillingham have momentum behind them as they head to Crewe looking for their first away league win of the season.

Neil Harris' men claimed a last-gasp win against Sutton United at Priestfield last Saturday and followed it up with a comeback win against Brighton under-21s in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday.

• More: Young players make an impression

Goals and wins had been in short supply prior to that, although recent points on the road at Hartlepool and Grimsby have helped to paint a much more positive picture for the Gills after a tricky start to the season.

Harris said: “It has never, at any stage, felt like doom and gloom at [the] club, we have always felt really close. We got beat three at Tranmere and lost a couple of games at home. You are disappointed and down and you dig deep to search for solutions but we have genuinely felt we are capable of winning games. We are up there in the league defensively, we just haven’t scored enough.

“You have to believe in the process and coaching methods, to get there, and try and believe in your players as well, especially out of a transfer window, and hope they come good. I do hope we are seeing the start of it now.

“Every three-point haul you get breeds that confidence. We got the clean sheet and point at Hartlepool and then won two home games in a row, I can’t ask more from the players than that.”

Crewe got relegated along with the Gills from League 1 last season, finishing bottom of the pile. They’ve got six more points than Harris’ men after 11 games this term and start the weekend sitting 12th, six places above the Kent side.

On the opposition, Harris said: “They are a hard-working team, an honest group, don’t concede a load of chances and don’t create bundles, in [Courtney] Baker-Richardson the centre-forward, they have a guy who has scored a lot of goals this year, a League 2 threat definitely.

“They are similar to us, off the back of a relegation, sometimes you have to take a step back, restock and build over a period. Crewe have recruited some senior players, [Rod] McDonald for example, players that know the division and are consistent at the level, they have leadership qualities to go with the youngsters.

“I look at them as very similar to us, they have recruited players with League 2 nous. As a football club, they want to pass the ball but it is not always that easy in this division.

“It is another challenge and the challenge for us is to keep the momentum going and find that first victory on the road in the league. We go into the game confident and there will be a head count who is fit on Friday morning.”

Crewe's six-goal striker Baker-Richardson is battling to be fit for Gills' visit after missing last week's game against Carlisle, tweaking a muscle while sat at home playing on his Xbox.

Harris must decide whether he goes with the strike pairing of former Crewe players Mikael Mandron and Scott Kashket as he did last weekend, or try and involve Lewis Walker, who netted two on Tuesday, to get off the mark this season. Walker also impressed when replacing Mandron in the win over Sutton.

“He is in an adjustment period,” said Harris, having brought Walker back to English football following two seasons in Italy. “He is still adjusting. I was really pleased for him, it is good to open your account and as much as Lew, Mika and Scott would love to have more goals, it is important they are all off the mark.”

Harris went with a relatively strong team in their midweek Trophy match but had the misfortune of seeing experienced midfielder Shaun Williams turn his ankle and suffer ligament damage. He’s a big doubt this Saturday but there’s hope his absence might be limited to just the one weekend.

The midfield department has already been rocked with injuries and captain Stuart O’Keefe will be missing again, as will Ben Reeves and Olly Lee. Winger Jordan Green wasn’t involved on Tuesday after he went off injured last weekend. Young pair Dom Jefferies and Josh Chambers are available but both lack match fitness.

Loan defender Haji Mnoga returns after being cup-tied but fellow defender David Tutonda is in need of a minor operation after being out with a knee injury.

Harris said: “Stu had (the operation) last month and was out for three weeks, we don’t expect it to be long-term but David is going to be missing for three to four weeks, at least. We hope Stu and Ben will be back before David. Neither will be back in the next seven to 10 days.”

Lee was missing from the recent team photo and hasn’t been playing for several weeks. Harris didn’t wish to disclose anything further than saying he was out on “medical grounds,” adding: “He is okay, he has been in the stadium and done some training for the first time since Charlton, that is a real positive. Olly is a slow process. When I can tell more, I will.”