Andy Hessenthaler's hopes of bringing a raft of players back from injury have been hampered by the continuing bad weather.

The likes of Andy Barcham, Simon King and Garry Richards are in need of match practice and time on the training field but neither have been possible following the recent Arctic blast.

It means that the Gillingham manager’s options for Boxing Day’s trip to Aldershot are not looking as bright as they could have been.

Hessenthaler (pictured) said: “People like Garry Richards are not fully fit because they’ve had no matches, That’s the same with Andy Barcham.

“We would have had a game on Tuesday night at a non-league team, which would have benefited those boys, but because of the conditions there is no way we could get that game going ahead. We have got a big squad but they are not all fully fit.”

Training has again been difficult as their Beechings Cross facility remains under snow. Hessenthaler took his team indoors on Monday at the 442 Sports & Social Club and then on Tuesday they booked in for a session at the former David Beckham Academy in Greenwich.

“There is a full-size pitch there (in Greenwich) and that is beneficial. We can get some work done but to get down to the specifics is not going to be easy.”

The likes of Luke Rooney, Jack Payne, Danny Jackman and Mark Bentley all need high-tempo training to get back towards match fitness following injuries, but Curtis Weston looks set to be ready for a first team start.

Gillingham head to Aldershot in search of a fourth successive win. The last three have come on away soil and they haven’t done four on a bounce since the 2000 promotion year.

The Gills follow that up with a home game against Port Vale on Tuesday, December 28 and Hessenthaler is well aware that a good festive period could leave the well position to make a charge towards the promotion places in 2011.

Hessenthaler said: “It’s where we want to be in the New Year and hopefully the positive results we’ve had of late can only push us on and give us lots of confidence for the second half of the season.”