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Midfielder Timothee Dieng is confident Gillingham have the quality to beat the League 2 elite.
The Gills have climbed clear of the relegation zone with victories against the division’s struggling teams but have yet to score a win over one of the leading contenders.
An exciting draw with Swindon Town at the end of January was followed by defeats against promotion-chasing Mansfield Town and Bradford City.
Dieng missed the game last Tuesday against his old team Bradford having been momentarily knocked out in the preceding game against Wimbledon. He was back at the weekend as the Gills drew 0-0 at Harrogate - a match where they lacked the cutting edge upfront.
There’s still work to be done but standards have definitely improved and Frenchman Dieng is feeling confident ahead of their midweek trip to Stockport.
“Like every League 2 game it is going to be tough,” he said. “We have to be ready for it, it will be a battle, we have more than enough quality in our changing room to beat them.
“Playing against teams that fight for promotion is tough but we have got enough quality to beat any team in the league and I believe in us.
“We go there for the win, to come back with the three points.”
Dieng was rated doubtful for the weekend clash after getting sparked out against Wimbledon. A few seconds out cold was enough to leave him at the mercy of concussion protocols.
The midfielder was taken off straight away against the Dons - failing the on-pitch quiz to test his memory.
He said: “They asked me a few questions. I was fine until they asked me who we played the week before and I couldn’t remember!
“It took me a few minutes to remember that we had played against Rochdale, so that was one of the main reasons they took me off, I just couldn’t remember!
“It was head to head (collision) and he came from 10 yards sprinting and then just challenged me, I didn’t see him coming. I was out for a few seconds.
“I felt alright straight after, I just had a big bump on my head, but they didn’t want to take any risks so fair play, I trust the medical staff.”
Dieng had to sit out the match against Bradford on Tuesday, a team the 30-year-old spent two seasons with between 2016 and 2018.
“I was devastated,” he said. “Even more frustrating was to watch the game and see Gillingham lose but we have to play them again away at Valley Parade so I hope I will be up for the game and the win.”
Back in the side on Saturday, Dieng admitted Harrogate was tough - a side who hadn’t won in six and are below the Gills in the table.
He said: “It was a good point, a tough game, a tough place to get a point from. I think both teams had good chances, it could have gone either way, we take the point and move on and be ready for Tuesday.”
Dieng was one of many who joined the Gills in January with the promise of better times ahead at the club. He dropped down a division after leaving Exeter.
His old team sit mid-table in the division above and Dieng was a key man in their promotion season last year in League 2. He moved to the Gills to challenge for success again.
He said: “Nobody wants to play in a relegation battle, we want to push for promotion. Last season I was promoted with Exeter and it was the best feeling ever as a footballer, I want to live that again with Gillingham.
“There is a big buzz about the place and the owners convinced me to come. It’s a big project and I want to be part of it.
“The owners and the board talked to me about the project and about all the other players (joining). I felt very confident that we would have enough to stay in the league and next season to push for promotion.”
Right now he knows there is still a job to be done.
He said: “Until it is mathematically done we can’t feel safe, there are a lot of games coming and we have to stay focused and keep working to get safe.”
