Gillingham manager Andy Hessenthaler is anticipating some disappointed faces as he attempts to keep the season alive.

After a campaign plagued with injury problems he is now encountering a different challenge as those players return to the fold.

Aside from long-term casualties, the number of players out injured is dwindling by the week with Jack Payne the latest to push himself back close to full fitness, having shaken off a hamstring injury.

Hessenthaler, pictured, said: "We had two disappointed players at the weekend in Rowan Vine and Danny Spiller. They wanted to start and rightly so because they want to play matches but as a manager you have to pick it how you see it.

"I wouldn’t expect them to be happy and I would be the same but they also respect that I have to make some decisions.

"Some you get right and some you get wrong. You aren’t always going to get it spot on and managers around the world will be the same. The real successful ones are those who get it right on a regular basis.

"It is not easy to keep everyone happy but that’s part of being a manager and dealing with it the best way you can."

Meanwhile, defender Barry Fuller is making good progress from a knee operation he had in November. He won’t be back before the season is out but was running again this week.