Gillingham manager Steve Evans is keen to avoid another footballing lesson from weekend visitors Doncaster Rovers.

Doncaster beat the Gills 2-1 at the Keepmoat Stadium in December and although the Yorkshire side have a new manager and patchy form, Evans is expecting nothing other than a tough game.

He said: “The next two games really worry me, they are really tough, home to Doncaster Rovers, a team sitting fifth and the league leaders Hull City away [next weekend].

“We will focus one at a time. We will see what we can achieve Saturday and if that can be positive then it really sets us up to go to Humberside with a real ambition of trying to beat the league leaders away from home.

“It will be a real difficult one against Doncaster. We went up there and lost by the odd goal, but we got a football lesson, we hardly touched the ball at times. If anything they are better in terms of playing personnel they have added to the group.

“They have lost their manager [Darren Moore] to Sheffield Wednesday but the board have given a new young manger in Andy Butler a chance. He is a fierce competitor. It is a real good opponent we are playing and let nobody think for one moment it is anything less than that.”

Doncaster were looking like challenging for the top two before Moore departed at the start of the month. Home wins over Portsmouth and Plymouth followed but their away form has continued to let them down, losing their last five on the road.

Evans believes the current form is nothing more than a blip, saying: “We have had it, Hull have had it, Peterborough have had it, Ipswich have, Lincoln, they all have. Losing Darren Moore as a manager was a blow, I know him well, he is a terrific guy an is going onto a huge challenge at Sheffield Wednesday but what a wonderful squad he has left behind.

“A very progressive board at Doncaster have given a young man that opportunity and he has been a warrior against my teams [as a player].

“When they come to Priestfield on Saturday it will be a stern challenge, they have a top class squad for sure. They will be in the top six, can they get into that top two? Maybe recent results have shaded that away from them but they are still odds on favourites for me to be in the play-offs.”

Doncaster have young Celtic midfielder Scott Robertson on their books - a player the Gills had earlier on this season - but he missed their midweek game due to a foot injury.

Read more on the Gills;

Injury concerns for Gillingham pair

Evans responds to Lincoln critics