Gillingham boss Neil Harris says his side are better equipped to take on top sides like Carlisle United than they were before.

The manager of tomorrow's hosts says they are "excited" by the challenge of taking on Paul Simpson's promotion-chasers.

Gillingham are 19th, having pulled clear of realistic relegation danger following some major January recruitment.

They are also in strong form at home having won six of their last seven games at Priestfield.

Former Millwall and Cardiff City boss Harris said the game gives his improving side a chance to test themselves against one of League Two's best sides.

“We go into the game with optimism, or there would be no point in playing the game,” he told the Gills website.

“We are excited by it. We are looking forward to it.

"They [Carlisle] are third in the league and have been consistent all season, and we are a team right at the top of the form guide.

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"We are in a position that we can now look forward to the big games against good sides.

“We want to pitch ourselves against the best players in the league and see where they are at compared to us.

"They are a challenge for us and we have to step up our games against the best teams.

“Naturally for a team that are in the top three, they are going to come here to try and win a game of football. They will ask a lot of questions of us defensively."

Gillingham's squad includes two former Blues players in Max Ehmer and Tristan Abrahams, while the game will see a return to his former club for United keeper Tomas Holy.

Carlisle are eyeing a win in Kent that could take them second - but Harris stressed his side are relishing all their games on home soil.

“We are a team now that are in good form and looking forward to fixtures. We love playing at home and the crowd are always right behind us," he added.

“I’m asking my players to keep the standards we have set, don’t step off an inch. Don’t give any of the teams around us at the bottom any thought process of reeling us in.

"Let’s chase teams above us, enjoy the momentum and keep picking up points.

“I have trust and faith in us as a group. We are a threat and we have come a long way in a short space of time."