Fast track!

Jan 11 2008 by Dougie Thomson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

BOSS Andy Ritchie believes Gillingham will provide as tough a test as Premier League Birmingham when Town return to League I duty at the Galpharm tomorrow (3.00).

Ritchie reckons a repeat of the performance which brought a 2-1 FA Cup win against Premier League Brum will spark a push towards the play-off zone from his 14th-placed side.

But he warned there’s no room for complacency against the team who are four places and three points below his own.

“We did really well against Birmingham, and apart from the match at Cheltenham, where we won 2-0, it was the only time we’ve played for the full 90 minutes,” said Ritchie.

“We showed pace, passion and venom, and the challenge now is to reproduce that kind of form on a regular basis.

“What we can’t do is rest on our laurels, because Gillingham will punish us. They had some decent results over Christmas, and Mark Stimson has made them very difficult to beat.”

Stimson succeeded former Town striker Ronnie Jepson as Gills boss in November after resigning at Stevenage Borough.

Ritchie has centre-back Nathan Clarke back after a one-match ban, but midfielder Andy Holdsworth must sit the game out after reaching five bookings.

Injury victims Phil Jevons, Robbie Williams and Jon Worthington are all in with a shout but talismanic striker Andy Booth is a major doubt.