TONY McMahon looked ahead to City’s approaching triple-header against top-ten rivals and roared: “Bring it on.”

Tomorrow’s visit to Bristol Rovers is the first of three games in eight days with sides also harbouring promotion and play-off aspirations.

Rovers may have lost the potent goal-scoring threat of Matty Taylor to neighbours Bristol City but they are a force to be reckoned with on home soil with five straight wins.

Fleetwood follow on Valentine’s Day before the hotly-anticipated Valley Parade showdown with Bolton.

McMahon is rubbing his hands at the prospect of clashing with the teams around them.

The ultra-competitive right back said: “They are the games you want to play in. We’ve still got to face the top three.

“I can’t wait for these games and just want them to keep coming. We feel we’re playing well and confidence is high.

“You get back-to-back wins Saturday and Tuesday and all of a sudden, you see yourselves moving right up the table.”

It made a change for City to have no midweek action after three successive Tuesdays on the road in the Checkatrade Trophy.

But McMahon would have loved to have squeezed in an extra game – and not just because he was suspended for the recent journeys to Oxford.

He was keen to get the teeth-gnashing over City’s latest home draw straight out the system. Instead it has been allowed to simmer through the week.

“I wish we’d been playing Tuesday if I’m honest,” he said. “Once you’ve had a little bit of frustration on Saturday, you just want the next one to come along as quickly as possible.

“It is tight in and around us but I don’t really look at who the other teams are playing.

“Some do but I just look forward to our games, turn up and hopefully play well and get the wins.”

McMahon’s third goal of the season – and first from open play – should have paved the way for a victory over Gillingham.

But City were pegged back for a tenth Valley Parade stalemate instead, although at least his two children went home happy.

He added: “I’ve scored every time my kids are there – maybe I’ll have to take them to every game!

“We scored two good goals and got our noses in front so we were obviously disappointed to draw another game at home.

“The performance was good, everything was there, and we were just frustrated that we didn’t hold on for the three points.

“It’s not like we’re talking about ten draws when we haven’t played well. We’ve probably been the best team in nine of them.

“When Gillingham got the second, they weren’t looking to win the game. They camped in, put bodies on the line and we just couldn’t find that winner.

“Of course it’s disappointing. But we’d be a lot more worried if the performances and chances weren’t there.”

McMahon was happy to see Charlie Wyke make a scoring debut – and gave his former “boot boy” some good-natured ribbing after the striker’s goal.

“When he scored, I ran over and put my boot up and said ‘do you want to polish them again!’

“I see he gave me a bit of stick about doing it but I paid him well!”