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Gillingham head to Northampton buoyed by a big win last time out at Rochdale but are expecting a different kind of challenge this time around.
Northampton will provide the Gills with a physical test and it means that boss Steve Evans may not necessarily stick with the same team and tactics that were used in a 4-1 win at Rochdale before Christmas.
“This is a different type of opposition, how they play is totally different,” said Evans, speaking about the side who were promoted from League 2 last season through the play-offs.
“Rochdale were a total football side, Northampton by (their manager) Keith Curle’s own admission are more direct and physical, it is how they play. It takes all types of systems and shapes to win games.
“We have had a good look to see what Northampton are all about. We will pick a team which we believe will win it, it doesn’t mean we are going to play the side that won at Rochdale.”
Northampton are the division’s lowest scorers and have the third worst defensive record, smarting from back to back 4-0 defeats, against Oxford United and Lincoln City.
They head into the game sitting fourth from bottom.
It’s a team struggling for form but Evans is wary of some threats which he knows all about. Striker Danny Rose is a player he worked with at former club Mansfield and came close to taking with him to Peterborough United.
“He was absolutely tremendous for me at Mansfield,” said Evans, who added: “I tried to sign him at Peterborough but it fell through in the very last seconds of that deal.
“They have got quality all over the pitch. They are strong and organised and very efficient. They have had a couple of adverse results but everyone beats everyone in this league.”
Former Gills defender Joe Martin will be suspended on Tuesday night but another former player, Michael Harriman, is likely to feature. He spent the 2013/14 season on loan at Gillingham from QPR, playing 37 games.
Winger Mark Marshall is also set to feature. He played 18 league games for the Gills under Evans during the first half of last season, with most appearances coming from the bench, before leaving and being snapped up by Northampton.
Evans said: “We gave him a six month contract but he was frustrated at not playing, that’s for sure, and Keith loved him. That was an easy one for Marshy.
“Does it give someone an extra spark playing against you? I think it might do if they had been with you for a long time and you don’t take them up with you if you’ve been up the ladders, but I don’t think any lads on that pitch would have anything to prove to me.”
Ricky Holmes will also be familiar to Gills fans, signing on loan during Steve Lovell’s time as manager but never playing a game because of injury. He’s since managed to return to action after signing for Northampton.
On Holmes, Evans added: “It was difficult for him at Gillingham because of his injury but he is back playing now and has always been a real good player against me.
“Cian Bolger is a top centre back, Danny Rose, I could go through their team. We have been analysing it, they have some good players.
“They have had two or three results that have set them back, two or three injuries as well, but I think they will be fine, the minimum they should be is in League 1.
“We sit six points off the play-off group. It is tough for us to get there with the lowest resources but we will try and find a way to win some games, with a couple of tough ones coming up, Northampton and Plymouth (on January 2) and if we can come out of them six points off the play-offs then we will have done very well.”
Gillingham winger Jordan Graham remains 50-50 to feature but the injury to Dominic Samuel definitely keeps him out, while midfielder Henry Woods is also missing after surgery.
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