Places are up for grabs in Gillingham’s starting XI.

Boss Steve Evans was unimpressed with the performance last week at Fleetwood and wants standards to remain high as they look to break into the top half of League 1.

The Gills had a behind closed doors match at Watford on Tuesday where some of the players knocking on the door had another opportunity to stake a claim.

Evans, speaking ahead of their home game against MK Dons this Saturday, said: “We weren’t quite at our best against Fleetwood but it’s another test for all of us.

“Maybe I will freshen it up a little bit. I was disappointed with the performance on Saturday. Everyone tried and they are a great bunch but the quality wasn’t quite there.

“Some of the players in the game at Watford were vying for a place.”

Evans has been able to name a relatively settled side in recent weeks but doesn’t want anybody getting comfortable.

He said: “Mentally it can get into your head, that you can just go in and expect to pick up a shirt. I think two or three of them for me had that last week in training and I wasn’t happy with them. You try and have individual chats and I saw certain traits on Saturday where I thought 'okay, I’m not sure'.

“We will still in the main be a settled side, eight or nine who will continue, but there are options for one or two to break in.”

The game at Watford was another in which those not involved in the first team starting eleven have had quality opposition to pit their wits against.

It’s key for Evans to keep those players ticking over. All three that came off the bench last weekend at Fleetwood made a difference, helping to rescue a point.

He said: “If players don’t play in these games then they can’t come in and make an impact.

"I have always believed as a manager, like a lot of the top clubs do, if you play against good opposition and give them lots of minutes then you give yourself a chance as a manager to be able to change the team and you give the players chance to be ready to play.

“There is nothing worse than not playing for three or four weeks and then the manager brings you off the bench expecting you to do something. You need to be ready. There is a difference between being physically fit and match fit, we have players that are both.”