ANDY BOOTH aims to defeat his once "perfect partner" tomorrow to keep Town among the League I promotion front-runners.
The 32-year-old leads Town's attack in his first ever appearance at Priestfield Stadium looking to do no favours for Gillingham manager Ronnie Jepson.
Booth and Jepson fired Town to promotion 11 years ago with 20-plus League goals apiece - the best by any strike duo since the 1920s.
Now they have different objectives - Booth to keep Town right in the promotion hunt and Jepson to score a fourth successive victory to virtually guarantee safety for the Gills.
"It will be difficult, but we are going in full of confidence and looking forward to it," said Booth.
"Gillingham have done us a few favours recently and I'm pleased for Ronnie that things are going well in his first job, because he will make a really good manager.
"We had some great times together as players - he was the perfect partner for a young striker coming through - and we have stayed firm friends.
"All I'll be thinking about tomorrow, though, is how important those three points are. If we can win and then chalk a third victory on the trot at Bournemouth next week, we'll be in with a great chance of clinching automatic promotion."
Town rate Chris Brandon only 50-50 for the clash, so David Graham is standing by for a recall. Peter Jackson's squad trained on the Galpharm pitch today before leaving for Kent with Booth part of a 20-man squad.
"You would need a crystal ball to predict the run-in - it's just too close to call - but anyone who strings two or three wins together at this stage will have a brilliant chance and we must push for pole position," said the 14-goal leading marksman.
"Our fate is in our own hands and we're all determined to make sure we keep going all the way."
