Those on the fringes of Gillingham’s matchday squad are playing their part in the team’s upturn in form. Competition has increased dramatically since the January transfer window, with players now fighting just to make the matchday squad.
Even the captain can’t get in. Manager Neil Harris has plenty of players at his disposal and put on a 60-minute practice game during the week to give those in a reserve a much-needed match. “It was excellent,” he said of Tuesday's match. “It was a great exercise, an opportunity for all the lads who have needed minutes, like Stuey (O’Keefe), Ethan Coleman, Jayden Clarke, Hakeeb Adelakun, Tristan Abrahams, Jake Turner and younger lads like Bailey Akehurst and Ike Orji (a recent addition from Chatham Town) who got minutes as well.
Everyone came through unscathed. “It is going to be one of my challenges this week to pick an 18 - or 17 without a homegrown player - it is another challenge just to do that and credit to the players that are missing out at the moment.
They need support but they keep driving the players infront of them by performing well in training. “We have extra numbers now and they are quality players.