Gillingham assistant manager Richard Dobson on challenge of facing Salford in League 2 and provides update on the health of boss Gareth Ainsworth

Gillingham assistant boss Richard Dobson doesn’t want his players to be affected by their winless run.

The Gills have gone four League 2 matches without a win after a blistering start to the season.

Suspensions and injuries mean a depleted squad when they host fellow promotion hopefuls Salford at Priestfield this Saturday.

“We’re a bit short again in terms of having options,” said Dobson. “The more options you’ve got the better it is and the more you can change games.

“We’ll put out a side that we think is the best side to beat Salford. We’ve had a lot at where we think there might be weaknesses and everybody will get a chance.

“The guys that have been on the bench will get an opportunity when others are out and I hope they come in and take that. I’m sure they will.

“I think they’re a wonderful group to work with and really want to do well at the club.

“I hope their ambition to achieve something doesn’t end up eating them up a little bit. When you work in elite sport, when you hit what is called ‘flow’, you relax and you’re comfortable.

“Sometimes you can try too hard and become a little bit too tense and I just hope the boys don’t feel like that at the moment because we haven’t had a result for a little while.”

Unlike their most recent opponents at Priestfield – Cheltenham and Harrogate – Dobson is not expecting Salford to ‘park the bus’.

It should mean a more open game that will suit the Gills as much as their visitors.

“That’s the way they play, I don’t expect them to come here and put a (low) block in,” explained Dobson.

“It will be an open game, they’ll try and attack us and we’ll try and attack them. It might not be quite as frustrating for us in terms of having to break down a team that’s come for a draw.

“They’re