It’s a top v bottom clash at Priestfield this Saturday but Gills manager Neil Harris isn’t reading anything into the respective results of each team.

Gillingham are sitting pretty at the top of League 2 with four wins from four while weekend visitors Colchester United have lost their opening three.

League positions are “irrelevant,” said Harris, looking ahead to this Saturday’s home game.

“When I say about looking at the league table after 12 games, I am not expecting the Gillingham population to wait until 12 games, they want to see their team at the top, I’m not stupid, but also anyone can beat anyone at any stage, especially this stage.

“Colchester aren’t a team that are going to finish bottom of the league - they are a better team than results have shown.”

Harris isn’t complacent and is sure his players aren’t either.

He said: “I have brought that up a few times, not because of an ego nature of our players, not at all, because they are really good lads and have a hard-to-beat mentality, we have a good group, but subconsciously you can take the foot off the gas or think you’ve cracked it when you haven’t.

“I have seen enough positive stuff in our performances to know we are a good side but I have also seen and been publicly honest with my opinion in some moments of games where we can be a lot better and the players are fully aware of it.

“I would hate to think I have a group of players, or staff, that would take their foot off the gas and what I have learned about League 2 over the last 18 months is that every game is as difficult as the next, the league table becomes a little relevant, especially at an early stage, because anyone can beat anyone on a given day.”

While the Gills edged past Crawley last time out, Colchester suffered another loss after losing against MK Dons 3-2 to a goal in the 10th minute of stoppage-time.

Harris said: “We carry momentum, but it is a completely different game, they have got some real attacking threats, a lot of pace, really good on the counter-attack and we have to make sure our mindset is exactly the same as it has been before.”

The Gills gave some of their players extra minutes in a midweek friendly at Priestfield. Conor Masterson, Macaulay Bonne, Jayden Clarke and Glenn Morris were all in action.

Harris said: “One or two others might have played but weren’t available. That was really good to get minutes into legs.”

Harris is having to prepare with a couple of injuries, but is confident in the squad he has assembled.

He said: “It’s the same scenario as it has been all season, we have one or two missing. It can’t be helped and it’s an opportunity for others to play.

“I have tinkered with the team or the set-up of the team pretty much every game and that won’t be any different this weekend.

“When you look at the 18 we’ll have, we will be really strong and it will leave me with sleepless nights thinking about who to pick, that’s my job, all I can try and do is make the right decisions for the right reasons and hope for a little bit of luck in it as well.”