GILLINGHAM skipper Paul Smith has had a scan at London’s Whipps Cross Hospital to determine the extent of the knee injury sustained in Sunday’s 2-1 home win against Crystal Palace.

Smith collapsed after colliding with Palace goalkeeper Aleksandrs Kolinko and was carried off on a stretcher fearing he had broken his right leg.

He said: “I have never known such pain and expected to see my leg hanging off. So I was relieved when the club doctor assured me it wasn’t a break, even though I can’t straighten the knee or bend it."

He added: “I believe it’s a cartilage problem rather than the more serious cruciate damage. I don’t know whether I’ll need an operation but I hope to be fine in four to six weeks.”