CENTRE back Chris Hope is banking on four days' rest to save his ever-present record for Gillingham.

Hope, who has never missed a match since his £260,000 transfer from Scunthorpe in July 2000, will make his 140th consecutive appearance for the club at home to Grimsby on Saturday - if he can beat the knee injury sustained in Monday's 2-1 defeat at Reading.

After the match, player-manager Andy Hessenthaler confessed he feared the worst.

“His ankle went one way and his knee went the other,” said Hessenthaler. But 24 hours later the Gills boss sounded more optimistic. “We're hopeful," he added.

“We’re hoping the injury will settle down with a few days’ rest.”

Hessenthaler is confident two other injury casualties from Monday - Nyron Nosworthy (groin) and Kevin James (knee) - will be available for Saturday. With Paul Shaw back in training, the need to make loan signings has been averted - at least for the time being.

Midfielder Mark Saunders expects to be fit for Saturday after recovering from a hamstring strain but Barry Ashby's foot injury continues to give cause for concern. and barring a rapid recovery looks certain