Gillingham’s weekend performance leaves them filled with confidence ahead of their visit to the league leaders.

Kyle Dempsey scored the winner against Accrington Stanley on Saturday and he’s now looking forward to taking on Lincoln City at Sincil Bank this Tuesday night.

The Gills captain said: “They are one of the most in-form teams in the league, right up there at the top. The win was a real big one for us, we needed it for the morale and we need to use it as a benchmark.

“If we play with that same intensity from the first whistle to the end I think we will do really well.

“First half we controlled the game, we got in their half, we camped them in, our defence was solid and when we have that platform at the back it allows us to do our stuff further up the field. It was a really good performance from us.

“If we can put performances like that together for the whole 90 minutes then it puts us in good stead.

“We have seen a lot of surprising results in League 1, some weekends you see top of the league getting beaten by mid-table and you can’t fear anyone. We go into every game wanting to win and thinking we can win, that has to be our mindset going forward.”

Dempsey’s goal was a fine finish from outside the box, curling it round the keeper, and only a good save in the second half denied him a second at Accrington.

He said: “I am always confident if that ball falls for me on the edge of the box, and I have a bit of space, that I can put the ball in the back of the net.

“I got a good touch, drove at the defence, I had nothing else on and went to bend it round the keeper but he read it well and tipped it round the post. I just need to keep finding myself in those positions and hopefully I will keep scoring goals.”

The Gills were boosted pre-match by the arrival of Olly Lee and Callum Slattery, both on loan. Both impressed.

“I thought they were quality,” said the captain.

“Me and Slatts have built a relationship early doors, his aggression, his awareness on the pitch, getting the ball down and getting us ticking, I thought he was excellent and we all know what Olly can do, having him in there as no.10, his awareness, bringing people into play, both were outstanding.”

Victory ended a run of three successive defeats for the Gills.

Dempsey said: “Even from in the warm-up I could tell the lads wanted to put things right. It was a total different feel and that is now going to be the benchmark for us going forward, if we play with that intensity, move the ball, win our second balls, defend like we did, we are a really good side.

“In recent weeks we have gone back to the long ball type play but for us we haven’t been ourselves, this was a stamp of authority, to put things right and we needed that win big time.”

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