Lindsey and MK Dons 'the perfect pairing' according to Gillingham boss

Gillingham boss Mark Bonner said Scott Lindsey and MK Dons are a perfect fit ahead of their game at Stadium MK on Saturday.

Bonner, who had previously been tipped to take over at MK1 while he was at Cambridge United, took over at Priestfield in the summer, and made a flying start to life in Kent, going unbeaten through August. But form has dropped off for Gills in the last few months, seeing them drop to 10th in the table.

Dons meanwhile have mirrored Gillingham, starting slowly before Lindsey took over, and are now sitting in the play-off spots having won their last six in the division.

After guiding Crawley Town to promotion last season, Bonner said Dons’ appointment of Lindsey was the ideal partnership, leading them to being the in-form club in the division.

“If you could pair a manager with a team, it's probably the perfect pairing,” said Bonner. “Scott's gone in and the run of form since he's been there has been excellent.

“They are the form team. I think anyone who finishes above them will get promoted because I do think they'll be right at the top of it and I think they'll strengthen again in January and only get better and stronger as they go.

“(They are) certainly one of the favourites and one of the strongest teams (in the division). The identity that they've got is really paired nicely with the manager and he maybe hasn't really got all of the squad that he'll want yet.

“There's a good fight there for people trying to be part of it. But they're in good form, scoring lots of goals.”

Bonner predicts a tough afternoon for his side if they do not take the game to the hosts on Saturday, saying allowing Dons to take control with the ball will make it a long day for Gillingham.

He continued: “It will be a thinking game, a talking game, a running game and we'll have to do that really well.

“It's a huge pitch, but it's a huge pitch for them too when we've got the ball. So how good we are with it and how well we retain possession, sustain attacks and have them running is really important.

“If we try to do it the other way round and constantly just be happy without the ball and giving it back all the time, too long an afternoon, too long a task to try and face that out. We've got to go and have a right go at being good with the ball.”