Gillingham boss Steve Lovell is looking forward to pitting his wits against a former colleague this weekend.

Lovell worked alongside Luton boss Nathan Jones at Charlton and they emerged from their time at SE7 with similar ideals.

Both will be looking to play with an attacking style when the Hatters visit Priestfield on Saturday and Lovell admits the game is likely to be an open one.

“It could be 8-8,” joked Lovell. “Nathan is a nice lad, a good coach and well organised. He has got his team playing.

“He was brought up with the same mentality and did the under-23s at Charlton while I was doing the under-18s and Paul Hart was there.

“Paul wanted to play the diamond or 4-3-3 and I think that is where we both picked it up and went with it.

“Nathan is playing that way and he has got it off to a tee.

“It is a good formation to play and if you get it all working properly, it is one that will cause problems attacking-wise and you can deal with it defensively.”

Luton have been on an upward surge since Jones took over, saving them from the drop, winning promotion at the second attempt and now challenging in League 1.

They were League 2’s leading scorers last season and have found goals easy to come by again.

They are third-top scorers in the division and come into the weekend off the back of a 5-1 win over Plymouth.

Lovell added: “It will be interesting and it will be open. We have scored quite a few goals ourselves this season and it should be a good game. I don’t think it will be 0-0.

“You can’t go up against teams like this and think we are going to do a Hartlepool and sit behind the ball and try and get a 0-0 or nick it 1-0.

“Plymouth tried to stop Luton playing last Saturday but they couldn’t do it.

“You play to your strengths and that is our strength – to go forward, to get at people and to press.

“We are good when we do that and that is what we have to get back to.

“I am looking forward to the game because it is against the team that are one of the favourites.

“A lot of managers who I speak to and ask who the best team they have played against say Luton.

“They are a good side and it will be a good test for us.”