The pressure will be on the home team when Gillingham visit Ipswich Town on Tuesday night, says Steve Evans.

Ipswich, with vast resources for League 1, were hoping for an immediate return to the Championship last season but ended up finishing below the Gills, in 11th place.

Gills boss Evans is currently trying to find a winning formula with his current team and although they showed big improvements at the weekend, a failure to finish their chances cost them, slipping to a 2-0 defeat against Fleetwood Town .

“I am confident we can win at Ipswich but at the same time I recognise just how good a team they are,” said Evans, speaking to the club on Sunday.

“Anything other than promotion for them this season is a disaster, so I know where the pressure is.”

He added: “Mind you if they put our dressing room as far away from the pitch as they did in the EFL Trophy fixture, we had best organise a few taxis for the lads!”

Ipswich have made a reasonable start in their bid for promotion this season but lost their weekend match against Lincoln City, the victors going top of League 1. It was a second straight defeat for Paul Lambert’s side having suffered a 4-1 reverse to Doncaster Rovers in their previous outing.

Gillingham are short of numbers for the match, with Kyle Dempsey, Tom O’Connor, Jacob Mellis and Vadaine Oliver all struggling with injury. Connor Ogilvie also misses out after being sent off in the defeat to Fleetwood.

“It is likely will not be able to fill the bench again but there is no point in moaning about it, we have to deal with it,” said Evans, who was considering looking at non-contract players to help boost numbers.”

Read more on the Gills;

• Free agents could fill holes ahead of Ipswich trip

• Reaction: Joey Barton will have left thinking he got away with one

• Evans blasts EFL over Covid testing