DARREN BYFIELD returns to the Gills team as they face Crewe this afternoon in a crunch battle at the foot of the Championship table.

John Robinson also returns to the starting eleven after a making a full recovery from a hamstring injury.

Gills have gone 341 minutes without scoring and will be desperate for Byfield to fire them to victory.

Just one win on their travels, that coming against Burnley in August, says plenty about Gills start to the season which sees them sitting four points below Crewe in the final relegation slot.

Crewe are boosted by the inclusion of goal machine Dean Ashton after he shrugged off an ankle injury and will be the main threat for a leaky Gills defence.

Gills: Brown, Nosworthy, Smith, Henderson, Rose, Crofts, Hope, Byfield, Spiller, Robinson, Marney. Subs: Banks, T Johnson, L Johnson, Jarvis, Sidibe.