The Gills are back in the bottom four of League 1 following last weekend’s 4-1 loss to Barnsley.

They’re back on home turf again this Saturday, against an in-form Scunthorpe team who have dragged themselves away from relegation trouble in recent weeks.

Gillingham need a win themselves to get their own survival bid under way.

Lovell said: “It is the biggest game of the season, I think, without a doubt.

“It is a must-win game, for everyone; for the club, supporters, for us as staff and for the players.

“We know the importance of it and we know that if we can get a win it could spark off something like we had last year, it lifts morale.”

Gillingham need a lift after a big loss last Saturday.

“The training has been brilliant and they have responded,” said Lovell.

“It is the realisation of where we are. I think a lot of the players don’t realise what is at stake for them.

“It is a relegation battle, a lot of them wouldn’t have been in that position before, but they have to learn very quickly. It’s a matter of rolling your sleeves up and getting it done.”

Lovell felt his team made it too easy for Barnsley last weekend after some poor defending.

He said: “We have to keep fighting, keep working and make sure that those things don’t happen in the next game, that is all we can do as a coaching group.

“We keep making sure they notice these things, they see it on the screen and they realise what it is all about.

“We have scored 41 goals this year. Outside the top six or seven we are one of the top scorers, but we have conceded 53. It is ridiculous.

“If we can keep clean sheets then we have got a chance of doing something, but so many times in games we have conceded three or more.”

Scunthorpe looked to be heading only one way after a run of seven defeats in a row, including a 2-0 loss to the Gills, but they have lost just one in eight. They’ve won six, drawn with Sunderland and lost to Barnsley.

“It can happen,” said Lovell, who would relish that kind of form.

“It just shows. We could win Saturday and go on a run. If we win the next five we are pretty much safe with 10 games to go, that’s how easy it can happen.

“You have to start now. You can’t just say, ‘oh we will win the last seven games of the season’, that doesn’t happen. We have to pick the points up starting now.”