Gillingham ended Chesterfield’s perfect start with a thrilling midweek win and will be hoping to halt another 100% record this Saturday.
The Gills thrashed Chesterfield 4-1 at Priestfield and next up is a Crewe Alexandra team who won by the same scoreline in midweek to make it four wins from four at the start of their League 2 campaign.
Both teams will be full of confidence and Ainsworth will be hoping his men can produce another impressive result to maintain their own unbeaten form.
The Gills are 16 games without loss in the league – continuing their run at the end of last season, which led to Ainsworth finish the season without a defeat in the first nine matches he took charge of.
Tuesday night’s win over Chesterfield was the standout display so far but he said: “Chesterfield was great but it doesn’t make our season.
“We’re going to work hard. We’re going to get down to Earth and take on a very tough Crewe side on Saturday because they have a 100% record in this league. I’m looking forward to that.
“They’re a good side. They look like they’ve signed some quality players, like Tommi O’Reilly from Aston Villa, he’s a hell of a player. I had him at Shrewsbury. It didn’t quite work in that team for him because we weren’t possession-based, but I think Crewe are quite possession-based, and they seem to be on the form.
“I’m sure they were looking at my result as well, thinking exactly the same, but we’d love to carry on this little run.”
Ainsworth knows it’s early days. The Gills have started the previous two seasons under different managers in good form before fading away.
The current Gills boss will hope he’s onto something and that his way of doing things can continue to get results.
He said: “It’s going to be a long season, we’re not even 10% through yet, but it’s a good start, it’s a solid start to the season and hopefully we can continue.
“As I keep saying, I don’t rest on my laurels. I look forward to Crewe now and go, ‘Right, what can we do next to keep going?’
“I’m very much in the now, and I love being in the now.”
The players are certainly putting in the effort this season, so far.
“That is credit to my staff,” said the Gills boss.
“It’s credit to the sports scientists and the medical team, Paul (Timson, the physio) and James (Russell, the fitness coach) and all the support staff around them.
“We train them hard. We have an intensity when we train which gets them fit, but I’m constantly in contact with them and saying ‘Who’s loading, who doesn’t need loading’. I think in the modern game, you’ve got to listen to those people.
“We’ve got all the technology and all the numbers now, but to see it in action is brilliant and the season goes through stages. I think there’s three periods.
“There’s these nice pitches and everyone’s up for it and then there’s the winter which can really drain you in night games and weather. Then there’s the end of the season, which is the push on after Easter. You’ve got to be good in all three stages. That’s how important my support staff are.”
Crewe won 4-1 away to Fleetwood on Tuesday night.
