Gills Boss Wants Quick Pitch

Gillingham boss Mark Stimson wants a small and wet pitch on Saturday for the big game.

The former Stevenage manager feels the ideal pitch could help his teams passing game but is also weary that the Alex like to pass it too.

Stimson told KentOnline.co.uk: ''We`re going to ask the groundsman to get the pitch as short as possible and to soak it. That`s how the pitches were at Doncaster and Brighton and I`m sure he`ll do his best for us because we want to zip the ball around. We just have to be careful because Crewe will play football.''

With Gillingham just one point and one place behind the Alex, both teams know that defeat could prove fatal in their bid for League One survival, and Stimson expects the Alex's experience in such situations to help slight;

''They`ve been in this situation before. Some of the players and the management staff will know how to deal with it.''

However, Stimson doesn't feel the game is as important as most and expects survival to be decided long after this weekend.

'It's a big game but it's not the be all and end all,' Stimson explain.

'It won't be those three points that make the difference. It will be more than that. I'm sure we have got enough to cause Crewe some problems.'