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More on KentOnline
Steve Evans says Gillingham owe AFC Wimbledon one at Plough Lane tonight.
The Dons have been a bogey side for the Gills, who have won only three of the 14 league meetings.
Wimbledon did the double in Evans’ first season in charge, somehow winning 1-0 at Kingsmeadow before ending the Gills’ 15-match unbeaten run at Priestfield.
Gillingham won the home game 2-1 last season but returned empty handed from their first trip to the new Plough Lane despite another commanding display.
The Dons lost star man Joe Pigott - a thorn in the side of Gillingham - to Ipswich but have made a bright start to the new season, winning at Doncaster and drawing with Bolton.
Evans, whose side lost 1-0 at Plymouth on Saturday, said: “We owe them one but, listen, they’ve got good players, they’ve recruited well.
“They’re bringing in the boy from Chelsea, or two boys, that are really good players.
“We’re good enough to go there and win, that I don’t doubt, but we need to get back to being at our best.
“We were good for an hour against Lincoln last week, and should have won the game.
“We were good for 45 against Plymouth, should have been in front, but it didn’t happen.
“We need to move it on a little bit longer in games now.”
The Gills boss added: “I’m expecting it to be tough. We went there last year and were totally dominant, and got undone by a late goal.
“We need to go there and be energised and make sure that medically and physically we’re turning the boys round to be ready.”
Evans will check on the fitness of several players for tonight’s game before naming his side.
If he’s down to bare bones there could be further chances for the club’s young guns.
Teenagers Harvey Lintott, scorer of Gills’ winning penalty in the Carabao Cup at Crawley, Gerald Sithole and Bailey Akehurst were all unused subs at Plymouth.
Evans will tread carefully with the kids but will use them in League 1 if it’s appropriate.
He said: “We had to chuck them in midweek in a Carabao Cup tie, and they did great, but there’s a difference in trying to beat Crawley at Broadfield and trying to win at Home Park.
“There’s a clear difference in quality of player, quality of opposition and in my opinion it would have been a bit much for them but they’ll be under consideration for Tuesday, depending on the bodies we’ve got.”
