TOMMY JOHNSON’S brief appearance for Gillingham in Saturday's home defeat by Reading ended with him joining the club’s growing list of long-term casualties.

The striker, who replaced Rod Wallace after 69 minutes was back in the dressing room within six minutes after suffering a medial strain in a knee that will keep him out for at least four weeks.

With Jason Brown, Nyron Nosworthy, Ian Cox, Chris Hope, Mark Saunders out for the forseeable future and Darius Henderson scheduled to undergo surgery for a groin problem, Johnson’s loss comes as another blow to the club.

“Tommy will be out for four weeks with a medial strain in a knee, so that’s another blow,” said player-manager Andy Hessenthaler, whose selection options for Wednesday’s reunion with former top scorer Marlon King at Nottingham Forest have further diminished.