Teenage striker Joe Gbode was missing on Saturday after falling down the stairs.

While the rest of the Gillingham youth squad went to Spain last week, 17-year-old Gbode was needed for first-team duties. Unfortunately a mishap at home meant he had to miss Saturday’s game.

Concussion regulations meant he was unable to feature in the match against Rochdale which the Gills won 1-0.

Gills manager Neil Harris said: “The young lad fell down the stairs at home unfortunately and these are things we have to battle with every day as a manager.

“Stupid things happen to young players, I have to make sure I take it with a pinch of salt.”

Gbode is in the second year of his youth scholarship but has been a regular around Harris’ League 2 team since the summer.

Gillingham’s lack of numbers meant they were unable to fill the bench on Saturday. Midfielder Dom Jefferies, 20, was also missing and Harris admits his problem could have been made worse by not declaring it sooner.

Harris said: “We were disappointed with Dom because he didn’t flag up the injury before he came off and does that put him back a couple of days? But then if I am going to sign young players I have to see it, oversee it and educate.”

What did please him was seeing teenager Elkan Baggott play in the centre of his defence against Rochdale and pick up a clean sheet.

The Gills boss said: “I am so pleased for Elkan Baggott, he is 19, that is his fourth game in professional football, he made a slight air shot at a clearance and I have to say ‘calm down, be composed’ and I have to remember the age of these players.”