Gillingham manager Gareth Ainsworth grateful for use of artificial surfaces at Star Meadow and Anchorians while Beechings Cross has been waterlogged

Gillingham manager Gareth Ainsworth believes his squad are adapting well despite difficult training conditions.

Prolonged wet weather has forced the Gills onto artificial surfaces in recent weeks, creating challenges for both players and staff as they prepare for the upcoming fixtures.

Gillingham have a week to get ready for away trips to Crewe on Saturday, and then Chesterfield next Tuesday, but the wet weather is set to continue ahead of those games.

Ainsworth admitted the reliance on 3G pitches has been far from ideal, particularly for players carrying knocks or past injuries.

He said: “Most clubs will tell you that some of their players don't like the 4G because of previous injuries.

“I couldn't train on it towards the end of my career.

“I understand, so I can say, ‘Yep, I understand you. I'm not going to say get out there and just do it’. You can't.

“We've got lads taking painkillers for training now because we're on 4G and things, and it's not great.

“We have to be careful with this.

“The boys have adapted very well, as have my staff.”

The Gills have been using artificial pitches at Gillingham Anchorians and Star Meadow, just up the road from their own saturated training facility at Beechings Cross.

It’s meant they’ve been able to train, but Ainsworth admits it been a bit of a logistical challenge, with around 30 senior players and a group of youngsters on the fringes too.

He said: “There's only one pitch, it's our [first] team and we've got this group of development players that want to come through. We've got the academy as well, based here. It's really tough to get everyone on that and get a slot.

“The sooner the training ground is better, then the better for me. We'll have to make do again but both Anchorians