Gillingham's Flying Start: Can Ainsworth Keep This Up?

Gillingham's Flying Start: Can Ainsworth Keep This Up?

Gillingham sit top of the League Two table, undefeated this season, looking incredibly impressive seven games into their campaign. Despite being appointed back in March, Ainsworth is still yet to taste a league defeat as The Gills boss. With a 98th-minute equaliser coming away at Bromley to rescue a point on Saturday, League Two's early leaders continue to show that they have forgotten how to lose.

After leaving Shrewsbury earlier this year, Ainsworth moved to Priestfield Stadium tasked with revamping an under-achieving Gillingham side. Coming up to six months into his time at the helm, it is fair to say his rebuilding of the team has been very much accelerated. Perched at the summit of League Two, Ainsworth and his team's focus will be firmly fixed on Notts County at the weekend. However, with a promotion chase looking likely, expectations are sky high. Here is a look at Gillingham's lightning-fast start and whether or not they can maintain their red-hot form.

Better Late Than Never

Late goals are a characteristic of most successful teams in football. Not knowing when you are beaten and rescuing points from the jaws of defeat are undoubtedly hallmarks of a side which are on the up. It is fair to say Gillingham have enjoyed more than their share so far this season. Max Clark's penalty to snatch a point on the weekend, as well as Sam Gale's 89th-minute winner at home to Crewe a couple of weeks ago, are just two examples of their refusal to settle for results in games.

With this mentality undoubtedly stemming from their manager, Ainsworth has instilled a belief in his players that a positive result is always within the grasp of his team. The Gills have been able to stay in games and pick up points where they have perhaps not been deserving on anything- an incredibly useful trait in a long and taxing season.

💬 | GA: "Two-nil down at half-time at Bromley you write a lot of clubs off, but not Gillingham.

"Don’t write us off."#Gills

— Gillingham FC (@TheGillsFC) September 7, 2025

Time To Press On

With goals flying in from all over the pitch, Gillingham have had nine different players find the back of the net already this term. Ainsworth has managed to find a tune out of his five at the back formation and his wing-backs have contributed a significant output in their unbeaten start to the season. His high-octane style of play has meant that opposing teams have found themselves on the back foot for large parts of games. The Gills fans will be delighted, not only with the results their team have managed to obtain, but also with an intense and exciting style of play.

They now face a favourable run of fixtures in the coming weeks, not meeting another current top six opponent until their visit to Grimsby on the 18th October. The ex-QPR and Wycombe boss will no doubt be looking to preserve his team's position at the top and will know the next month provides a great opportunity to extend his side's early lead in their efforts to reach League One.