Gillingham midfielder Alex MacDonald believes this could be the season for the underdog.

Unfancied sides Accrington and Crewe are chasing the play-offs along with the Gills and as Covid-19 continues to play havoc with the schedule, it could be that one of those sides will be mixing it with the big boys at the end of the campaign.

Steve Evans’ side have reached Christmas Day six points adrift of the play-off positions but with more than half a season of fixtures to play, in what will be a congested run-in, MacDonald is confident of keeping the pressure on.

“If there is a season that it can be done then it will be this season,” said the 30-year-old.

“With everything that is going on, if we can keep ourselves in and around that mix, within touching distance of those play-offs, we have seen it before, we can put on a run of five or six games. If we can put some results and performances together then that will allow things to happen.

“There will certainly be someone who comes out of the pack and surprises a few people. We are just going to keep working hard and hope to put a run of results at the right time to get us into those play-off places, which is where we ultimately want to be.”

MacDonald has been around football long enough to know some of what is required to be successful. Hard work is one of them and he feels the squad has it in abundance.

He said: “Any successful team I have been in and promotion teams that I have been with have always kept working hard, always kept their foot on the gas and never got complacent. We certainly have that here.

“The hard work that the lads are putting in at the minute, from the staff down, has been very good. It is all about getting your head down, working hard, sticking to what we are and hopefully we can surprise a few people.”

MacDonald has had a mixed season, in and out of the side throughout the opening months. He’s had public praise and criticism from the manager at different times but always knew what he was getting when he signed at Gillingham.

He said: “The way that the manager and Rayns (the assistant) are, they are all action on the sidelines, they are no different whoever you are coming up against, that is them, they don’t change.

“They wear their heart on their sleeve, they are passionate and they want to do well and they are winners; that is what they try and instil in the team.

“We have a young squad but a capable squad and that is the frustration, we know how good this team is. When you have a few defeats knowing what is in the dressing room is frustrating but we are upbeat and we are positive.”

Gillingham are without a game on Boxing Day after Peterborough United pulled out of the match because of a positive Covid-19 case in their squad.

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