Gillingham are still in with a chance of making it to the knockout stages of the EFL Trophy – which has even surprised their manager.
The Gills have lost the first two of their three group-stage matches, beaten 2-1 at home against last season’s winners Peterborough and 3-1 against Crystal Palace under-21s, but are still in the with a shout of qualifying.
Peterborough’s recent 4-1 win over Palace left them top of the group with three wins from three. It’s a simple one for the Gills, win by two clear goals and they definitely qualify.
The Gills are already out of the League Cup and the FA Cup and manager Bonner would love to progress in the Trophy competition.
Bonner said: “The truth is that when we walked off the pitch (at Priestfield) last time we thought that’s a dead rubber of a game but it isn’t.
“It’s great for us to have something on it. That would be brilliant wouldn’t it if we could go and do that? That would be like kamikaze stuff! I’d love that.
“We’ll try, but we’re obviously going to play against a really good side, they’ll make changes I’m sure but they’re still strong.”
Stevenage lost 2-0 to Stevenage but had earlier beaten Palace 1-0 in the competition.
If the Gills win on Tuesday night after 90 minutes, three teams will all be level on points, behind group winners Peterborough.
Places will then be determined in order of goal difference, then goals scored, number of wins and the record against each other in the group matches.
Bonner’s set to name a senior squad for the match.
Several of their younger players such as Alex Giles, Stan Skipper and Taite Holtam are out on loan.
Bonner added: “We’ll end up with a fairly senior group, it’s just which ones we end up playing. We’ll give it a good go.
“There’s no point travelling all that way and playing a game in a real competition and not wanting to win it.
“We’ll definitely try to win it. If we get through, great, no problem with that.
“I’ve always said that we want to try and progress in it.
“We probably didn’t think after our last game that we’d have a chance (of progressing) but we have. It’s just against a good side in the league above that have played strong teams in it as well.”
Stevenage are currently sitting 14th in League 1. They included goalkeeper Taye Ashby-Hammond in their starting line-up last time out in the EFL Trophy – older brother of Gillingham’s on-loan goalie Luca Ashby-Hammond.
