Gillingham captain Max Ehmer will come up against his former manager Stephen Clemence at Priestfield on Saturday in the League 2 match against Barrow

Gillingham captain Max Ehmer is relishing the chance to get the better of his old manager in another top-versus-second encounter.

Former Gills manager Stephen Clemence brings his table-topping Barrow side to Priestfield this Saturday.

Clemence’s side have a near identical record to the Gills from their first seven games in League 2, the former Priestfield boss making a terrific start to his tenure in the northwest.

Bonner’s men are just one goal worse off than the weekend visitors to set up a great spectacle.

Ehmer, who captained the Gills on the pitch during Clemence’s time in charge and was a mainstay in the side, said: “I want to beat him, for sure, obviously Stephen Clemence was a great guy but at the end of the day, it's our job.

“He'll set out his team how he wants and we'll just try to beat them.

“They're obviously doing well, so it will be a tough game against a tough opponent.

“We won't hype it up in terms of first versus second, none of that. I think that (people on the) outside will do that. We'll just do our job and we'll make it a good game.”

Ehmer’s final game under Bonner was his 400th for Gillingham, at the end of last season, and his old boss saluted the defender at the time, saying: “He is a great man and he has been a very good player for me too.

“He has been good for the young centre-halves by the side of him and it hurts him when he is beaten. He is definitely an out-and-out winner.”

There’s respect off the pitch but both men will be determined to come out on top at the weekend.

League 2 table ahead of the weekend

It’s the second weekend in succession that the Gills have taken on the leaders.

The Gills knocked Notts County off their perch last weekend with a 1-0 win at Meadow Lane and will hope to