GILLINGHAM manager Ronnie Jepson faces an anxious wait before he can make additions to his under-fire team.

Jepson admitted his side were beaten fair and square again on Saturday after the 3-1 League 1 defeat at Luton and he is ready to plunge into the loan market for much-needed reinforcements.

The deadline for permanent signings expires on Friday night and Jepson will be hoping that he can then get his hands on a few players to kick-start the season.

“We’ll try to bring players in,” said Jepson, following his side’s fourth straight defeat. We identify people but a lot of clubs don’t want their players to go out on loan yet.

“They’ll wait until the window’s shut for the players they want to send out on loan. They may want to move them on full time. If they haven’t then people like ourselves might get one or two.”

Jepson was seriously short of players on Saturday because of injuries to key men and he had to make do with a substitute bench full of teenagers. Luton took full advantage and won with ease but the Gills manager wasn’t looking for excuses.

“You can make too many excuses at times,” he said. “You can go and hide away or you can stand up and be counted. We’re all accountable. I’m accountable for results and I’ll keep working as hard as I have done since I’ve been here."

He added: “We’ve got to get our heads down, work hard, re-group and get back on the training ground and try to get one or two players back fit."