PLAYER-MANAGER Andy Hessenthaler has challenged his side to register an unprecedented third straight league win under his managership when they take on Coventry in Priestfield's biggest match of the season on Saturday.

The former Premier League club are unbeaten in their last five games since player-manager Roland Nilsson succeeded Gordon Strachan on September 10 and Hessenthaler would love to take their scalp for a third win in eight days.

"We've never won three on the spin since I became manager so it would be fantastic if we could do it against a side of Coventry's calibre," he said. "That's my challenge to the side and I hope it will be their motivation. This is our biggest home game of the season and it's also our biggest test because Coventry are going so well under Roland Nilsson."

Unless Adrian Pennock passes a fitness test, Gillingham are likely to remain unchanged in a 4-4-2 formation. Hessenthaler, who came off 10 minutes from the end of Tuesday's 2-1 win at Grimsby, has been passed fit after recovering from a knee injury.

The match sees the return to Priestfield of former Gillingham centre-back Gary Breen who left the club in August, 1994 to join Peterborough. Breen is Coventry's current Player of the Year.