Gillingham boss Steve Evans believes it’s only fine margins that have stopped his team from registering a win against one of the division’s leading sides.

Weekend opponents Charlton Athletic came close to losing at Priestfield, only to grab a late equaliser in the meeting between the teams in November. The Gills have had little joy against the other clubs chasing the automatic promotion places in League 1.

Friday’s match against Lincoln City got away from the Gills after they conceded a controversial penalty.

Evans hopes their fortunes will turn. Speaking ahead of Saturday’s trip to The Valley, he said: “We have struggled to beat these teams and it comes down to the finest of margins. I talk to the players every week and it is about inches, it is fine lines.

“They scored an equaliser with about 10 to go (in the Charlton match at Priestfield). We were 1-0 up and missed a couple of good chances to go two up and I think Lee (Bowyer) would accept that had we gone 2-0 up we would have beaten them.

“In a lot of these games we have been particularly impressive and deserved a lot more but it has not happened. The only way we can make it happen is if we continue to be impressive and continue to work hard and see it turn in our favour.”

Lincoln’s win against Gillingham took them back to the top of League 1 and the run of games for Evans' men doesn’t get any easier, with a weekend trip to Charlton followed by a Tuesday night home game against Peterborough United.

“It’s a fantastic league,” said Evans, whose team have ground to make up in the chase for the play-offs.

“When you look at our run of games, Lincoln have got big money behind them and you look at Charlton and then Posh, both with big money behind them.

“It doesn’t stop with the big spending clubs but that just brings challenges for us and opportunities to try and show that we are capable of taking these teams on.

“We have to go to The Valley and work as hard as we worked in the Lincoln game and the impressive thing for me about Lincoln was the overall performance, I went to the Posh game on Saturday against Crewe, and both managers as well as (Peterborough director of football) Barry Fry, they all watched the game and said if ever a team never deserved that result is was us guys!

“We have to produce that type of performance but the impressive part for me, was even at 2-0 down with a penalty decision in our face, we didn’t give up. We still went for the jugular, we went to get back into the game, we missed some big chances to make it 2-1 and I think it would have been an interesting finish if we got it back to 2-1.

“We didn’t and they counter attacked and got another goal and that is what good teams can do to you.”

Gillingham have injury concerns to a handful of players with Tommy O’Connor (groin), Jordan Graham (dead leg) and Robbie Cundy (shoulder) all in the treatment room this week. None are thought to be serious and will be in contention to play this weekend if they return to training before Friday.

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