Fit-again defender Conor Masterson has seen training go up a level at Gillingham this week.

Competition for places is wide open after three straight defeats, with manager Mark Bonner threatening to make changes in the wake of a weekend loss to Accrington.

Masterson has recovered from an Achilles injury and is one of several players hoping now is their opportunity to get back into the starting eleven.

He said: “This week the training's gone up a level, it's been very competitive because there's chances for places and stuff, so it's been really good and, you know, we just want to get back to winning ways.

“We want to get back on the winning train, or the points train, as they say. It's only a little blip and we're fine. We know what we have in the dressing room, so there's no panic stations.

“It's not great losing three games, but if you look at the table, we're fine and we've got a really good, strong squad.

“We're looking forward to a good away game. I suppose every team, every season's going to have a blip of some kind. You just hope that maybe this is ours.”

Masterson started Gillingham’s opening game of the season, a 4-1 win over Carlisle United, but he hasn’t played since.

Tendonitis in the Achilles area wouldn’t go away, after several attempts to get back to playing. Now he’s hoping to have finally put those issues to bed.

“It's the longest I've been out as a professional,” said the 26-year-old.

“It was a niggly one. When I walk, I'm fine, I feel fine, it's just when I went to run, the pain was really sore, so that's all it was.

“It was tough, but I had to just relax, get it right, and now I'm back.

“If selected, I'm ready to go. I've trained a good bit now, for seven or eight sessions, so I feel good. I’m raring to go now. I just want to get back out there and help the team.

I want to get back in and help the team and push this club forward where it should be.”