Gillingham’s fringe players will get a run-out this week as manager Neil Harris looks to keep those on the outside active.

Club captain Stuart O’Keefe is among those who can’t get a look-in at the Gills since the influx of new talent but he’s not been forgotten and a behind closed doors match has been arranged to keep those in reserve on their toes.

Harris said: “Stuart O’Keefe was possibly the best player on the training pitch last week, showing a real hunger and desire to want to be involved. He is my club captain and I don’t like leaving him out, I have to be honest, but at the moment he is not in the group and the lads are playing well.

“Hakeeb Adelakun (on loan from Lincoln City) has so much potential and we see it all the time but at the moment I have got reliability on the pitch and we are scoring goals.

“Hakeeb is desperate to be involved, he came here on loan this season to be close to home but to play regular football and for 35 games he started nearly every game, just at the moment I have changed tact a little in how we play and that’s six games, 12 goals, at the moment at the top end of the pitch we’re doing well.”

Harris has a number of younger players out on loan too and could choose to involve them. Ronald Sithole is at Faversham, Matty MacArthur is with Margate, while Alex Giles and Sam Gale are enjoying the experience at Sheppey.

Josh Chambers has had plenty of action at Worthing while Bailey Akehurst is over his injury that held him back earlier this season and is playing on loan at Worthing alongside fellow Gills youngster Freddie Carter. Julian Kuhr is at Lordswood while Elliott Moore has joined fellow Southern Counties East side Kennington for a month.

Youth striker Joe Gbode has been with the first team of late, as an unused sub, filling the bench as the club’s ‘home-grown’ player to ensure a full 18-man squad for match days.

Olly Lee isn’t available because of an ongoing medical issue while Ben Reeves and Lewis Walker are both out for the season. Scott Kashket is back in training and a few weeks away from being available.

Recent additions Ethan Coleman, 23, and 22-year-old Jayden Clarke have yet to feature for the first team since joining the club last month.

First team players were given a day off today (Monday) after a great upturn in form that has seen the Gills climb out of the League 2 relegation zone. Harris' men are next in League 2 action on Saturday at home to Wimbledon.