Gillingham’s head coach Stephen Clemence has highlighted the impact Dom Jefferies makes to the team.
Jefferies has just returned to the Gillingham line-up after over two months out injured and was a starter at Mansfield, the first game he’s started since playing away to MK Dons on January 27.
The left-sided midfielder was Gills’ main man at Mansfield early on, showing great footwork to break forward on several occasions, offering an extra attacking option for Clemence’s side who have often relied on the right-flank for forward gains.
Clemence said: “I have spoken many times about a midfielder who can get around with energy, who covers the distances that he does cover, but does it at speed.
“Lots of midfielders can cover distances but when you cover those distances fast, as he can, that is a good midfield player for me and the sort of midfield player I wouldn’t have wanted to play against when I was playing a long time ago.
“It was great to have him back but he couldn’t finish the game, you couldn’t injure him again, so he had to come off and he was running out of steam but he’s a good player.”
With Jefferies and big striker Josh Andrews now fit and starting matches, it’s given Clemence the chance to play games more to his style.
Last weekend’s win over Barrow and the first half against Mansfield gave an insight into the way he wants his side to play.
Clemence said: “I want to play the right way, I am not a tippy-tappy coach, I want us to play forward.
“I want us to make sure we have penetration in behind and that is what Josh Andrews gives you, he is a big lad, a handful but he can run in behind and then when you have someone like Dom Jefferies he can nick balls and he can run in behind.
“You have to disrupt back lines, you have to attack the back of the back line, not just play in front of them, that will be the aim and we will try and create a team like that going forward.
“A lot of the boys will be here next year and I have seen a lot of good stuff but they need some help and that will be the aim over the summer.”
