Gillingham host Colchester United at Priestfield in their final Papa John's Trophy group stage fixture

Striker Lewis Walker will be among the Gillingham players given the chance to impress again as EFL Trophy action makes a quick return to Priestfield.

Just a week on from Gills’ impressive comeback victory against Brighton under-21s, League 2 rivals Colchester United cross over into Kent.

It will be Gillingham’s final match of the group stage and victory would give them a chance of qualifying for round two. The win over Brighton included a double from Walker and it proved a decent night for the club.

Manager Neil Harris will hope for another productive evening at Priestfield.

“It is an opportunity for whoever comes in to the team,” said the manager.

“It’s an opportunity for players to find some rhythm and some form, an opportunity for them to score goals. I have been flexible with the team selection, I am prepared to give people an opportunity. Tuesday provides an opportunity for minutes on the pitch but also to get some confidence, form and belief and we saw that with Lewis Walker on Saturday, when he came in, he looked energetic, almost like a different player, that comes from his cameo performance the other week against Sutton and his performance (against Brighton) and ultimately the rest of the lads have to take a leaf out of his book.”

Harris labelled the competition pointless ahead of that Brighton game but the management admitted the night worked out better than expected after the win.

“We got a lot out of it,” Harris said. “This week is an opportunity for people to get minutes again, Bailey Akehurst played in the under-18s (on Saturday) and he might come back into the thinking. Josh Chambers didn’t get on the pitch (at Crewe on Saturday).”

Defender Haji Mnoga is cup-tied, David Tutonda is out after a knee