Gillingham manager Mark Bonner has picked up a personal accolade in the first month of competitive action.
Bonner’s been named as the Sky Bet EFL League 2 manager of the month for August after a solid start to life in charge of the Gills.
More: Playmaker ruled out of weekend match
Gillingham ended the opening month of the season sitting top of the table, with three wins and a draw. They’ve since slipped back to fourth after losing at Doncaster last weekend.
Bonner’s side started the League 2 season in ruthless fashion, beating well-fancied Carlisle United 4-1 at Priestfield.
Defensive resolve was on show in back-to-back treks up north in the following weeks as they beat Morecambe 1-0 and came back from Fleetwood with a point after a goalless draw.
The month ended with a 1-0 win over Chesterfield – another team tipped to do well this season following their promotion from the National League.
Bonner said: “Ten points from the first four games is good. I think that the points return is an exceptional one, firstly, and it’s a testament to a few things. One, the amount of work in the off-season and pre-season to prepare ourselves for that first month. And then secondly, look at how many players contributed in that month. Only I would know how much the staff have given over the 10 or 12 weeks to help get to that point as well.
“We talk about togetherness all the time. You only get ever any sort of individual awards or recognition, or team-of-the-week, goal-of-the-month, manager-of-the-month, whatever those records might be. You only get them because of everybody else around you.”
Bonner will be hoping his side can bounce back from last week’s loss at Doncaster when they host Tranmere Rovers at Priestfield this Saturday.
Former Gills boss Stephen Clemence was also nominated for the monthly award, having seen his Barrow side win three of their opening four games of the season.
Barrow beat Crewe, Port Vale and Harrogate in the opening month. They head into this weekend a point ahead of the Gills, sitting third in the table.
Doncaster winger Luke Molyneux picked up the player award after an impressive start to the campaign. He was constant threat last weekend when coming up against the Gills.
The Sky Bet manager-of-the-month judging panel comprises former Barnsley manager Danny Wilson, Sky Sports’ EFL expert Don Goodman and Sky Bet EFL trader Ivor Davies.
Wilson said: “Mark got his Gillingham team off and running with a very strong 10 points from their four games in August.
“Playing with a very attack-minded style, with energy and incisiveness, they have been rewarded with a positive start and sit comfortably in the play-off places.”
Pundit Goodman said: “Gillingham were a side that many tipped to be pushing for promotion, and they haven’t disappointed.
“Mark Bonner has them playing front-footed, attacking football that helped them pick up 10 points from a possible 12 in August.
“It hasn’t taken him long to implement his style and they look like strong contenders in League Two.”
Trader Davies added: “Gillingham started the season as one of the promotion favourites at 2/1. Their promotion odds have shortened a touch into 7/4, but with League Two being such a competitive division, the race for promotion remains wide open.”
