Dennis Oli has not given up hope on staying at Gillingham longer, despite being told his future lies elsewhere.

Oli scored a late header that made it 2-2 at Bristol Rovers on Friday and helped the Gills close the gap between themselves and the play-off places.

He came back into the side a month ago and scored a crucial goal at home against Barnet at Priestfield and has remained involved, despite knowing he is likely to be let go by the club in the summer.

"Football is a funny game so who knows?" said Oli. "I just have to keep working hard and what will be will be.

"You have to be professional in everything you do and then whatever happens at the end of the season happens.

"If someone has been watching me and they take me then that’s a bonus but I am just thinking about the Gills and trying to win promotion.

"I will always have my smile, you can’t lose that. I am alive and well, I can’t ask for much more and I am happy. Life is good and I can’t complain about anything. We just have to get promotion and things will be even better."

Oli was facing the Gills exit door in February after being made available for transfer. But with no reasonable offers the forward has kept his head down and waited for a chance.

"I believe in positive thinking and for me it was just another challenge," he said. I knew that if I kept working hard then my chance would come. That chance did come and I scored in the game I came back in and I just have to keep going."

Oli joined the Gills in January 2008 and has now clocked up 144 appearances for the club.