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It’s been a good week for Stuart O’Keefe and a win on Saturday would be the icing on the cake.
He produced a man-of-the-match display in Gillingham’s fightback against MK Dons - the Gills won 3-2 on Tuesday - and was also instrumental in the weekend draw at Portsmouth. Both are former clubs of his.
O’Keefe has put behind him the serious injury that at one time threatened to keep him sidelined this season - he broke his leg in September - and heads to his hometown club this weekend looking to keep up the momentum.
He said: “It has been a good week for me and hopefully I can have another positive result and make it a great week.”
O’Keefe was released by Ipswich as a schoolboy and his parents still live in the area, ensuring the game has a little bit more on it than most.
“They are a big side at this level,” said the 29-year-old.
“They have got some really good results lately, we are expecting a real tough game but if we do what we do, stick to our strengths we can beat anyone.
“It will be tough but we are excited about it, hopefully we get another win and put some momentum together.”
The Gills have 14 games of the season remaining and are eight points adrift of the play-offs. Reaching the top six is a big ask but O’Keefe feels they have nothing to lose.
He said: “With the stage we are at now, we are going to have to win as many as we can. Let’s just go for it, play the last third of the season with no fear, take the shackles off and let’s see where we are.”
O’Keefe played a crucial role on Tuesday to help get the Gills firing after a lacklustre start. A switch in formation helped them get into the game against MK Dons after conceding early.
“It was hard-fought,” he said.
“We were just a bit in our shells (early on), a bit taken aback by it, maybe we had given them too much respect, we had to change the shape and the second we did that we managed to get closer to them and forced them into mistakes. We probably edged them first half.
"We had some good chances to go 3-1 up, that didn’t happen and we were a bit disappointed to go into the break at 2-2 but at least we had managed to change the aspect of the game and put our stamp on it, which was vital.
“There were some excellent finishes and when you get chances against good opposition you have to take them. The boys took them really well and it’s encouraging.”
Connor Ogilvie grabbed the winner in the second half with a 74th minute strike.
O’Keefe is enjoying being back in the side and is making up for lost time. Several months out during rehab means he’s now feeling fresh for the remainder of the campaign.
He said: “It was the best I had felt (on Tuesday), after such a long period out. I am starting to get back to my match fitness.
“I hope I can add that energy, that bite and that snap in the middle that we saw on Tuesday. My fitness is only going to keep improving and because I haven’t played much football I am relatively fresh, when some might have played 30 games before, that could be a positive for me and ultimately the team for the last third of the season.”
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