by Luke Cawdell

Gillingham have gone seven away games without a win but manager Mark Stimson is sure his side can turn it around.

Following Saturday's 2-0 defeat at MK Dons, Stimson said: "We have to end this run sooner rather than later because the longer it goes on, the longer people talk about it.

"Hopefully we won’t bump into the likes of Southampton, Leeds and MK Dons too regularly and we’ll go to places like Yeovil, Hartlepool, Carlisle, Oldham, Brentford, Exeter and Wycombe, and we’ll be able to pick up points."

Gills' cause was not helped by the injury on Saturday to loan signing Scott Vernon in his first game for the club.

Vernon is on a one-month loan deal from Colchester but Gillingham have had to pay up-front for the whole period. Whether Vernon can play again for the Gills remains to be seen.

Stimson (pictured) will be keen to find another replacement but that depends on whether he can loan some of his own players out.

He said: "If he’s not going to feature, and finances become available, and someone comes up in our financial package, then we might have to do it. But it’s all ifs and buts and maybes. We won’t make a decision until we can assess his ankle.

"We’re trying to get a couple of players out to generate some money and we’ve put a few players up for loan.

"If we can shift any of those then I’ll be able to go back to the chairman and say ‘if a couple of the boys go out, can we use that money.’ Only time will tell."