Gillingham’s upturn in form has lifted them out of the League 2 drop zone but their manager knows there is a long battle ahead.

Victory over Grimsby Town on Tuesday night got the Gills back on course for safety having lost last weekend’s game at Mansfield. It’s now four wins from the last six games for Neil Harris’ men.

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“There is a lot of work to do,” insisted the Gills boss, with 17 games of the season still to play. “We are where we are because of the lack of goals we scored in the first half of the season and I have to believe in the process that if we keep playing like we have done (in recent weeks) and keep playing games of football then we will keep continuing up the league.

“We are out of the bottom two and we have games in hand as well on some of the teams around us, we are in a strong position, a healthy position, it certainly gives us confidence and belief to the fanbase and we're looking forward to a massive game on Saturday (at bottom side Rochdale).”

Harris hasn’t been focussing much on league positions, knowing that a winning run would take them to safety, regardless of what is happening around them. It’s been so far, so good.

But Harris cautioned: “It is nice for all of us (to be out of the bottom two), it gives us all that confidence, and belief, a bit of security and safety but we have a long way to go.

“I have been in a position before at the bottom of the league last year and one year in the Championship with Millwall and you can’t stop, you can’t think that you have done it, we have a lot of games left and a lot of points to play for.”

Over the last six games - since Harris was able to bring quality players into his squad - the Gills are the best in the division. They sit top of the League 2 form table over a six-game period, with 13 points from a possible 18.

No wonder confidence around the Gills is sky high - even after the weekend setback at Mansfield where Harris’ men were undone by a team that look good for a promotion place.

Harris said: “I feel I have a good group of players, that is the bottom line. A good group isn’t always about having nice lads, it’s about having lads who want to win, lads who go that extra yard to win, that have game knowledge, and at the moment I feel like I have it in the group.”