Gillingham manager Gareth Ainsworth looks ahead to the visit of Grimsby Town on Saturday and a chance to banish memories of last season’s 4-1 defeat

Manager Gareth Ainsworth wants Gillingham to put past Grimsby misery behind them when the Mariners return to Priestfield on Saturday.

Ainsworth has rebuilt the squad in his own image and will be hoping to put past disappointments behind him.

The Gills boss watched from his hospital bed as they were beaten 1-0 in Cleethorpes early on in the previous campaign but was there on the sidelines late last season as his side were crushed 4-1 at home.

Grimsby return to Kent in poor form, having picked up a point at Rochdale on Tuesday night to end a run of four successive League Two defeats.

“They were super up there,” Ainsworth recalled. “I was in hospital actually watching that game away at their place and then coming to our place, yeah, they did us in the latter part of the game.

“We were way off what we are now, last season, and hopefully it’ll be a different game.

“But you’re talking about a side who are consistently in the play-offs, consistently around the top seven. We have to beat these teams if we want to be a decent team, especially at Priestfield, which I’m trying to make into this fortress place.

“The last four games, I think we’ve had two wins, a loss and a draw in all competitions. That’s decent form. It really is. I’ll take that for the next four games; everyone would.”

The Gills drew 1-1 at home to Port Vale on Tuesday night, responding to Ainsworth’s demand for a reaction after their 3-1 defeat at Accrington Stanley.

“It was just a reaction that I needed,” he said. “We didn’t look ourselves at Accrington at all. [On Tuesday] we looked a lot more ourselves again and could have gone on to win that game. I’m pretty excited about what’s coming.

“I’m looking forward to Saturday’s game but nothing’s taken for granted.