Neil Harris enthused following victory at Priestfield on Saturday.
The giant might not be fully awake yet, but it is stirring, and Neil Harris just gave it a big poke in front of an ecstatic MEMS Priestfield Stadium crowd.
Another signing announced before kick-off against Hartlepool, two goals to celebrate and a defensive shut-out worked the Gills faithful into a wild frenzy. With the news that the next home game is already sold out there is undisputedly a real sense of optimism at ME7 right now.
"Everyone asks what a Neil Harris team looks like," said the Gills boss following the impressive 2-0 victory. "That was a lot more like it.
“It was a very good performance, a strong performance. I know they had a goal disallowed and they hit the post but we could have had six.
“We were just really strong. There was a structure to our play and a little more quality in the group; players who have been here all season played so much better as well."
Recent signing Tom Nichols put in a Man-of-the-Match performance and got the ball rolling by prodding home the opener. Dom Jefferies neatly doubled Gills' advantage to make it the first time the home side had scored two in a league match this season.
“Dom Jefferies, not only the goal, but his all round performance was as good as we’ve seen all season," said Harris. "As a pair, Nichols and Oli Hawkins (another recent striking addition) looked like they had played together for years. Everything came off for them as a pair, the cleverness of their play and the chemistry. Neither of them are that mobile but the timing of their movement is different class, that gave us the base.
"Once we got in front it gave belief and confidence for the rest of the group. It was a great performance. We looked like a different football club.
"Are we the finished article?... No. But we are moving in the right direction and there is a lot more to come."